EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (ABSTRACT)
Within the micro-finance industry, small projects require a standardized process for implementation in order to succeed. The company in study, the National Development Foundation of Dominica Ltd. (NDFD), is a non-governmental, development, financial institution that has been in existence for over thirty-five (35) years.
The company has been involved in providing credit, training and business support services to existing and potential small business entrepreneurs as well as the public. Over the years, the company has collaborated with local, regional and international funding agencies to implement small projects geared at alleviating poverty.
Currently, the company has a weakness in its implementation process, primarily because a number of employees within different departments who possess no project management experience or certification are involved in implementing projects. Therefore, with the aim of giving the company a competitive advantage while simultaneously fulfilling the mandate of the NDFD, it must implement a change effort that allows the company to outline a process map for standardizing projects within a project management office setting.
The general objective was to develop a project management office (PMO) implementation proposal for the National Development Foundation of Dominica Ltd in order to better plan, execute, monitor and close projects. The specific objectives were: to conduct an organizational project management analysis to determine the project management needs of the NDFD, to outline a process map according to the guidelines established in the PMBOK guide for standardizing processes and activities associated to a PMO, to conduct a maturity level analysis of the NDFD to determine what type of PMO best suits the company, and to develop a human resource and communications plan for defining authority levels as stated in the organizational chart of the NDFD.
A combination of methods was conducted to execute the research including: analytical-synthetic – staff of the NDFD who were involved in implementing projects as well as employees at project management units were interviewed. Inductive-deductive – data survey was performed and analyzed amongst all stakeholders for the development of a solution by analyzing the existing environment. Experiments were also carried out to determine project management needs. Statistical information was reviewed in order to analyze the maturity level of the NDFD and, finally, staff within the NDFD and various external project management units were observed in order to design a communication and human resource plan.
The research revealed that there are inconsistencies in the methodology for implementing projects and there is a lack of thorough planning, communication and knowledge of project management practices. Hence, in order to successfully implement projects, standardized processes and activities must be established and followed. Further, the research revealed that the NDFD is immature in terms of project management and is considered to be at the startup phase of the life cycle of project management.
OPM3 has to be nationally accepted prior to being utilized at the NDFD therefore, since NDFD is geared towards a holistic approach to small business development, the research revealed that the best type of PMO that should be implemented is the supportive PMO. A human resource plan showing the roles and responsibilities of the four staff to be employed in the PMO was developed and a communications plan showing the methods and channels for communication amongst the various stakeholders was designed.
It is therefore recommended that for this research paper to be successful, further studies must be conducted in order to implement a successful PMO. The NDFD’s Board of Directors and the Executive Director must engage in thorough discussions with the necessary stakeholders so that they understand the role of the PMO and the benefits thereof.
The Board of Directors and the Executive Director must also be privy to the findings in this paper and they must understand the role of the NDFD’s PMO to be able to implement it. Most importantly, it is recommended that internal staff be trained in their various fields and observe the activities of other PMO’s Island wide.
Descargar aquí
http://www.uci.ac.cr/Biblioteca/Tesis/PFGMAP1711.pdf
Within the micro-finance industry, small projects require a standardized process for implementation in order to succeed. The company in study, the National Development Foundation of Dominica Ltd. (NDFD), is a non-governmental, development, financial institution that has been in existence for over thirty-five (35) years.
The company has been involved in providing credit, training and business support services to existing and potential small business entrepreneurs as well as the public. Over the years, the company has collaborated with local, regional and international funding agencies to implement small projects geared at alleviating poverty.
Currently, the company has a weakness in its implementation process, primarily because a number of employees within different departments who possess no project management experience or certification are involved in implementing projects. Therefore, with the aim of giving the company a competitive advantage while simultaneously fulfilling the mandate of the NDFD, it must implement a change effort that allows the company to outline a process map for standardizing projects within a project management office setting.
The general objective was to develop a project management office (PMO) implementation proposal for the National Development Foundation of Dominica Ltd in order to better plan, execute, monitor and close projects. The specific objectives were: to conduct an organizational project management analysis to determine the project management needs of the NDFD, to outline a process map according to the guidelines established in the PMBOK guide for standardizing processes and activities associated to a PMO, to conduct a maturity level analysis of the NDFD to determine what type of PMO best suits the company, and to develop a human resource and communications plan for defining authority levels as stated in the organizational chart of the NDFD.
A combination of methods was conducted to execute the research including: analytical-synthetic – staff of the NDFD who were involved in implementing projects as well as employees at project management units were interviewed. Inductive-deductive – data survey was performed and analyzed amongst all stakeholders for the development of a solution by analyzing the existing environment. Experiments were also carried out to determine project management needs. Statistical information was reviewed in order to analyze the maturity level of the NDFD and, finally, staff within the NDFD and various external project management units were observed in order to design a communication and human resource plan.
The research revealed that there are inconsistencies in the methodology for implementing projects and there is a lack of thorough planning, communication and knowledge of project management practices. Hence, in order to successfully implement projects, standardized processes and activities must be established and followed. Further, the research revealed that the NDFD is immature in terms of project management and is considered to be at the startup phase of the life cycle of project management.
OPM3 has to be nationally accepted prior to being utilized at the NDFD therefore, since NDFD is geared towards a holistic approach to small business development, the research revealed that the best type of PMO that should be implemented is the supportive PMO. A human resource plan showing the roles and responsibilities of the four staff to be employed in the PMO was developed and a communications plan showing the methods and channels for communication amongst the various stakeholders was designed.
It is therefore recommended that for this research paper to be successful, further studies must be conducted in order to implement a successful PMO. The NDFD’s Board of Directors and the Executive Director must engage in thorough discussions with the necessary stakeholders so that they understand the role of the PMO and the benefits thereof.
The Board of Directors and the Executive Director must also be privy to the findings in this paper and they must understand the role of the NDFD’s PMO to be able to implement it. Most importantly, it is recommended that internal staff be trained in their various fields and observe the activities of other PMO’s Island wide.
Descargar aquí
http://www.uci.ac.cr/Biblioteca/Tesis/PFGMAP1711.pdf
