The adoption of large project management strategies and techniques to small development projects : a Maltese case study

Abstract

During the last two decades, the construction industry in Malta has gone through rapid change, not just in material improvement, which enabled the industry to build more extensive and more efficient structures but most notably, the time it takes to plan, develop, and occupy the developments due to an increase in demand. As a result, developers took advantage of this boom in the housing market and started developing property to the full extent that the local plans allowed. Thus, this continuous development cycle has created an apparent simplified process for a complex industry. In the last couple of years, we have seen a shift in construction strategy where more complex projects are being undertaken that require different strategies, tools, and techniques to achieve project success. As a result, I became interested in exploring the possibilities of adapting project management techniques for small to medium-scale development projects, as well as what the methodology for doing so would look like. This interest originated from my observations on how current small to medium development projects tend to operate with regard to project management and the apparent difference with large-scale development. Within the local context, it is typically the role of the lead “Perit” to manage both the architecture and structural team as well as planning and managing on-site work. This typically results in the lead “Perit” having to juggle the internal and external staff, clients, and most of the requirements of the development projects, which vary from project to project. As a result, architecture firms are starting to introduce the role of a project manager to help lighten the load within the office and increase their efficiency and effectiveness in achieving project success with regard to time, budget, and quality. However, when introducing the role of project managers who are typically trained for largescale development projects which require a more comprehensive and structured methodology for initiating, planning, executing, and closing development projects effectively, the question of which methodology to adapt became a key factor. There is no clear answer to this because most methodologies that exist today are not applicable to small-scale development projects. This led to adapting project management methodologies for small to medium-scale development projects from practical observations of small to medium-scale development projects. iv A quantitative approach was adopted in the form of a questionnaire. Through SPSS the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to achieve statistical information. Results showed that clear distinctions could be made as to why a considerable amount of development projects fail to deliver on either time, budget or the level of quality expected. A consistent distinction was observed in most of the project factors affecting the three variables; Analysis of procurement strategies (66.5%), efficiency of structural design (31.0%), feasibility analysis (33.0%), accuracy of preconstruction cost (39.0%), ability to stay within cost estimates (35.3%), creating preconstruction schedules (55.1%) and ability to stay within Preconstruction schedules (55.1%). Conclusions show that small-scale development projects can improve by adapting project management strategies, tools, and techniques to meet the required standards. However, to manage small-scale development projects efficiently, a project management methodology needs to be adapted and implemented if project objectives are to be successfully achieved.