DVA2602
Assignment 6:
Title: A discussion of project management and the project management
cycle in community development as well as the conditions in African
countries that influence project management.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page number
1. Introduction.....................................................................................................2
2. Project Management.......................................................................................3
3. The Project Management Cycle......................................................................4
4. African countries and Project Management....................................................5
5. Conclusion......................................................................................................8
6. Bibliography....................................................................................................9
1
, 1. Introduction
In today’s modern world development efforts most frequently take the
form of development projects and programmes. These projects are
typically aimed at improving the quality of life for its proposed
beneficiaries. Any development project consists of various actions and
responsibilities that should be performed in such a way that sustainable
development is achieved. Consequently, people have to be appointed in
order to ensure that these actions are performed.
As with all instances of a group of people working towards a common
goal, a supervisory person must be appointed in order to ensure that all
staff members fulfil their duties accordingly. A project manager or project
management team is therefore selected in order to fulfil this important
supervisory role. In addition to this, project managers are appointed in
order to manage projects in such a way that a project’s implementation
coheres to the time, budget and aims initially envisioned during the
project’s inception.
Development principles and practices that are applied in the West and
elsewhere, do not necessarily produce the same results when applied to
projects in African countries. This also rings true for project management
and it therefore becomes necessary to investigate the cause of this
particular occurrence.
For the purposes of this essay I would therefore like to discuss the various
conditions that influence project management in African countries as well
as the importance of taking these conditions into account. This discussion
will commence with a brief explanation of project management and the
project management cycle.
2
Assignment 6:
Title: A discussion of project management and the project management
cycle in community development as well as the conditions in African
countries that influence project management.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page number
1. Introduction.....................................................................................................2
2. Project Management.......................................................................................3
3. The Project Management Cycle......................................................................4
4. African countries and Project Management....................................................5
5. Conclusion......................................................................................................8
6. Bibliography....................................................................................................9
1
, 1. Introduction
In today’s modern world development efforts most frequently take the
form of development projects and programmes. These projects are
typically aimed at improving the quality of life for its proposed
beneficiaries. Any development project consists of various actions and
responsibilities that should be performed in such a way that sustainable
development is achieved. Consequently, people have to be appointed in
order to ensure that these actions are performed.
As with all instances of a group of people working towards a common
goal, a supervisory person must be appointed in order to ensure that all
staff members fulfil their duties accordingly. A project manager or project
management team is therefore selected in order to fulfil this important
supervisory role. In addition to this, project managers are appointed in
order to manage projects in such a way that a project’s implementation
coheres to the time, budget and aims initially envisioned during the
project’s inception.
Development principles and practices that are applied in the West and
elsewhere, do not necessarily produce the same results when applied to
projects in African countries. This also rings true for project management
and it therefore becomes necessary to investigate the cause of this
particular occurrence.
For the purposes of this essay I would therefore like to discuss the various
conditions that influence project management in African countries as well
as the importance of taking these conditions into account. This discussion
will commence with a brief explanation of project management and the
project management cycle.
2