Project management in Southern Africa: a best practices analysis

Abstract

This study covers an investigation into project management best practices in Southern Africa. The purpose of the research was to determine which of the current accepted project management tools and techniques are seen as critical in the region. It also focuses on determining any external or internal factors that hamper effective development of project management in the Southern African region. The study further tries to determine whether there are any noticeable differences between accepted project management practices in the developed world and practices used in the region. The study was conducted using a survey with a mix of open and scaled questions and was sent out to a number of companies selected because they employ established project managers. A total number of 400 questionnaires were sent out and 42 completed questionnaires were received from respondents. The study found that there are no significant differences between the techniques used for project management in Southern Africa and techniques used in the rest of the world. There are, however, several factors influencing project management development in the region that are unique to the region including a severe shortage of skilled people and infrastructure problems. There is also a lack of knowledge about project management practices amongst respondents and amongst other members of their organizations including senior management. This lack of knowledge combined with the shortage of skilled people can result in serious problems with the execution and management of projects in the Southern African region.