Abstract
D.Phil.
Project management from an industrial development perspective and as an engineering
discipline has been researched and published throughout the past century. It could be
said that the subject is mature, as recent publications on project management fail to
bring new knowledge to light. Research of published work in the form of books, journals, conference proceedings and magazines dedicated to project management, to find factors of success, expose, on analysis, that a "best practice" strategic level model can be derived for a project, revealing a high percentage of repeatability and re-use from project to project. Many of the worlds' leading practitioners concur that a base model for a project does exist; - that is to say, all projects follow a similar model leading to successful execution. What has not been understood is how the emphasis on various aspects of such a model changes between industrial development, and business development. Many business development projects have failed as a direct result of implementing what is known of project management as an engineering discipline, and applying it directly to business development. Research on how project management influences business development is both current and relevant. However, not much can be found in literature. What there is, concentrates on the information technology market segment. Available information on project management from a business development perspective deals with the project rather than with the management. This study analyses how business develops as an economic model to create wealth, and then further analyses how project management impacts on business development. The impact on strategy, structure and processes has been analysed to find how projects impact to improve efficiency and effectiveness within the business, thus further developing the business. A project model was developed and applied to find how application of project management knowledge changes in theory between industrial development, and business development. The result of this research was used to create a project system that would assist in the application of theory to practice. The system was used as a measurement tool to guide what was theoretically applied, and to show how practice changed theory, to a better understanding of how emphasis shifted in the model between engineering application, and management application. The project system was further refined during three consecutive business development case studies: ESKOM Transmission Group, ESKOM Distribution Group, and Gauteng Provincial Government. The lessons learned from these applications were finalised, and the project system evolved into a commercially viable product to aide and assist repeatable success in future applications of project management to business
development. Cognisance was taken of international developments to certify the competence of project managers and to evolve project management itself into a profession. Project management is seen to play an important role in the effective and efficient application of all resources to achieve development, not only in industry and business, but in society as well. This aspect impacts on the education of project managers, as society does not develop on the backs of people who know things but on the backs of people who can do things.