The development of a Project Management Methodology for Caribbean Bottling Company

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (ABSTRACT)

This document describes the development of a project management methodology for Caribbean Bottling Company (Bahamas) Ltd (CBC), which is a beverage manufacturing company located in Nassau, Bahamas. The aim is to improve project management capabilities by forming a formal project management methodology. 

The company has been constantly expanding because of an increased staff, an amplified product portfolio, an intensifying scope of compliance and expanding processes. The burgeoning complexity of tasks has driven a need for a systematic method of management, amidst the constraints of time, budget and quality. As each of these constraints has presented itself, the company has chosen to take a proactive approach to compete with changes by seeking a project management methodology. This will increase the capacity to manage the varying dynamics in the beverage manufacturing business. 

This graduation project was an empirical quest to determine the degree to which a project management methodology is already incorporated. It also served to discover how best to improve the current state of operations through the lens of a systemwide project management methodology. The overall goal was to develop a project management methodology for Caribbean Bottling Company in order to improve project performance through standardization. 

The general objective was to develop a proposal for the creation of a project management methodology to control the projects launched in beverage manufacturing at Caribbean Bottling Company (Bahamas) Ltd, to build business capacity, to better organize projects driven toward company growth, and to increase customer satisfaction. This was done by completing four specific objectives. The first objective was to analyze current project management practices in the training and development program at Caribbean Bottling Company to determine system gaps, for which, the methodology will be utilized. Subsequently, project management procedures in the five process groups and ten knowledge areas were devised in order to provide structure within the program. Next, project management templates and forms associated with the project management procedures were produced for use in the management of future projects. Finally, the methodology was applied to a typical project structure in the initiating and planning process groups in order to identify additional program needs.

With this aim, a research strategy was initiated by utilizing methods of qualitative research to facilitate the project management maturity continuum. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to determine the extent to which project management concepts were perceived and competently integrated by the company. The interviews were also carried out to engage stakeholders about the developed methodology. The analytical research method was used to make a critical evaluation of facts or information that was already available within the company. These include data such as existing reports, templates, including company literature, documentation and verbal accounts. 
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The results obtained from semi-structured interviews indicated that Caribbean Bottling Company has an existing process to execute projects but does not implement the highest standard of project management practices as established by the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Evidence of a dysfunctional system included poor planning, communication, knowledge management, process control, management of change and reporting capabilities. These were all observed as deficiencies that needed to be rectified through the developed methodology. Caribbean Bottling Company project management methodology was designed to address identified inadequacies and provide a professional approach to projects. Methodological parameters were intended to align departmental activities with the ideals stated in corporate strategy and create a synergy in operations. 

A report with main findings was generated, in order to identify the needs of the training and development program and to identify where the methodology could be applied. This report stated the results of the gap analysis study. Subsequent to this, a list of procedures for initiating, planning, monitoring and controlling process groups was developed. In order to streamline program documentation, templates and forms for initiation, planning, monitoring and control process groups were materialized. Lastly, to substantiate the veracity of the methodology, a report was produced with main findings on the application of the methodology for the sample project structue. This report revealed opportunities for growth in the methodological system.

To improve the operations at Caribbean Bottling Company, it was recommended that the methodology be integrated consistently throughout the organization. This will support a cultural shift toward systems thinking and increase the appreciation for project management standards. Another important recommendation for Caribbean Bottling Company was to organize trainings for its personnel to acquaint and equip employees with good project management practices. Additionally, it was recommended that audits and management reviews should be implemented to ensure that the systems were functioning in compliance with standards. Finally, it was suggested that, with the expansive growth of the company, and through proper project management consultation, system-wide documentation should be adapted and updated to fulfill the needs of the enterprise in the years to come.

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