Introduction
Following the currently advancing world in terms of technology and modernization, the tendency of organizations to engage in various programs and development projects has been inevitable. Many firms in the currently competitive society have been continuously been engaging themselves in various project activities to enhance their efficiency in their associated activities. Basically, most of the projects in many firms and organizations originate from various development programs initiated in such firms or organizations. More specifically, various programs in firms have been successfully implemented through projects in order to enhance the competitive advantage of the firms of the organizations to great extent. This has been a trend observed in various organizations both in the private and public sector over the last few decades (Galbraith 2001).
As a result of the 'wave of globalization' in the business sector, many organizations have been eminently involved in coming up with various projects to enhance the realization of their ultimate objectives and goals. As it has been revealed, project management may soon be replaced with functional management as firms have continuously been coming up with various projects in pursuit of better and more competent performance in the currently competent business world. The forecasting of the future by various organizations and firms compels them to initiate and develop specific projects capable of enhancing their better performance in the market. In this respect therefore, the development of projects by various firms in the society have been triggered by their urge and need to come up with viable production strategies which are economical and more reliable in the currently competitive world (Womack, et al. 2000).
Considering the previous trend of production and performance among firms in the past, the issue of projectification among the organizational programs was not as critical as in the contemporary society. Basically, large organizations are organizing into less bureaucratic project based units so as to adapt to the currently increasing business competition among firms. It is important to note that, functional departments in firms and organizations have been converted into management divisions for various development projects in the organizations or firms, making them to be more flexible project-oriented units. Specifically, firms and organizations are restructuring into more flexible production strategies in order to cherish any opportunities which may crop up in the society in order to enhance their reliability in the production (Sahlin 2002).
Generally, the projetification of the society in the contemporary society is far much rooted in the colonization of various social groups of life depending on the techniques and rules applied in the production strategies. Based on the currently experienced over-reliance on project, individuals in social organizations are playing roles currently referred to as 'project workers or mangers'. More specifically, the numerous projects being established among firms and organizations find its relevance in integration of business activities with the currently increasing technology. More specifically, various technological problems associated with the establishment of new products have been solved through introduction of semi-projects in the social organizations in order to enhance the popularity of new products in the market (Larson et al 1996).
The content of projectification may involve a number of strategies that firms can make to expand their operations. For instance, a form may establish a transitory endeavor to come up with unique service or a product so as to attract its clients for the other commodities. More so, a firm or an organization may require to develop complementary products or services fir their already existing commodities or services. In this case, an organization would expand its structures to enhance the initiation or establishment of the complementary service or commodity to the already existing commodities or services. Further, an organization may come up with a special set of coordinated activities with specific points of starting and ending points. This can be meant to ensure the meeting of specific organizational objectives both on monetary terms and resources efficiency (Galbraith 1991).
It is also important to note that, the content of projectification involves introduction of a set of activities within an organization where there is a pre-defined results to deliver the services intended which have an associated time-period and an end time. More specifically, firm may see an opportunity to develop activities which may further help in the carrying out of the other activities within the organization within a certain set of time. Basically, those organizations which produce commodities or services which have a certain or specific timeline within its production processes. Further, an organization may be having idle resources within its operation as a result of changes in its production patterns. In this case, it may be necessary for the organization to set up a project which would enhance the utilization of the resources alleged to be idle in order ensure maximum utilization of its resources (Hodgson 2004).
It is important to note that, many firms and organizations are being changed with alignment of the introduction of new products in the market. As a result, various firms have been coming up with new projects every time an opportunity crops up in alignment with the already established projects in the organization. The alignment of these projects as developed by the firms enhances the accomplishment of the firms' or organization's goals and objectives which are ultimately dependent on both the external and internal factors within the organization. In this respect, many projects initiated in various organizations have been found to be interrelated in various ways. Specifically, there has been found to be coordination in the activities carried out in these projects in alignment with the firms' or organizations' functions. This would further enhance more cash flows for the organization (Packendorff 1998).
In responding to the competitive pressures from the business environment today, there has been the urge for development of coordinating projects within firms and organizations, in order to enhance the achievement of the organization's desired goals and objectives. More so, it has been observed that, firms and organizations initiate lightweight projects which later-on are replaced by heavyweight ones later-on. This has been as a result of changes in structures of firms in relation to the market trends or their performance in the society. More often, firms expand as they go with their operations in the society which necessitates their expansion resulting into changing in their ultimate structures. For instance, a firm pr an organization may start with one main branch in which later on, following the market trends, the firm may open up more branches in other locations. Such new branches may be referred to as new projects for the organization since it would require new or change in management. In this respect therefore, market patterns may contribute to establishment of new projects for the firm or organization (Sydow & Staber 2000).
The changes in the interests of the organizations are often accompanied by frequent and eminent changes in the organization set-up like the governance structure where some directors are promoted as well as new ones are acquired. It is important to note that, any new project in a firm or organization is usually accompanied by an increase in the administrative personnel of the organization or the firm. More often, the establishment of project implementation is usually accompanied by reduction in the communication channel since each project within the organization has its management team. Depending on the norms of the organization, each project established in the organization, or the firm, should enhance more horizontal communication since each project manager within the firm has his/her own specific roles different from the other (Jessen 2002).
The acquirement of new managerial strategies within the organization to a great extent ensures competitiveness by the firm in the market since each personnel would strive to develop his/her area in the firm. More specifically, specialization would be enhanced in the firm which to great extent ensures the increase in efficiency and competence in each manager's project. In this respect, the organization would find itself at high level of performance sine each area would be competently controlled resulting into higher and better performance in the entire organization. It is important to note that, the competitiveness of each manager in his/her allocated project in the firm would entirely be based on him being specialized in one area. In this regard, through the establishment of various projects within the organization or the firm initiates its ultimate competence in the market (Lundin 2001).
It is important to note that, through establishment of various projects in the organization, the managers associated with the management of such projects would become more experts in their areas of specialization. This would be achieved through increase in legitimacy and accountability in such organizations resulting into more coherence and harmony in the entire organization. By so doing, the various project managers in each project would be having direct authority and control of the resources under his management. This is more often if the project established is of heavier weight leading into better performance of the organization in the entire market. By so doing, the process of projectification by organization would be cherishing success and competence in their operations (Grabher 2002).
The transfer of power and authority from line managers to project managers usually ensures delocalization of power and authority which is quite useful in reducing alienations and conflict among the team players in the organization. It is important to note that, once each project is left under specific control manager, the issue of conflicts and alienations among individuals within the organization would be reduced, resulting into a cohesive procession of activities within the organization. Basically, managers would really find it better to be autonomous in their specific projects which make them to feel more responsible in carrying out their activities in the organization. By so doing, an organization would be cherishing its performance as its management would be more competent. Specifically, by having autonomy of the managers in various projects within the organization, the project managers would be more efficient and more reliable as each would be striving to make his area assigned best (Gann & Salter 2000).
Due to the fact that, each project manager would be having direct authority and control of the processes in his or her allocated project, legitimacy would be enhanced among the organization and cherish the elimination of bureaucracy within the organization resulting into full responsibility of the managers in various developmental projects within the organization. This would reduce over dominance of power within a central point which acts as a barrier for inventions and innovations within the organization. Basically, each organization's project managers would be striving at attaining best performance within the organization to be recognized for better incentives. On this consideration, functional controls would be reduced resulting into entrusting of full responsibility of the project managers, which would greatly enhance better performance within the organization. Basically, through projetification, organization would be enhancing the standardization of their various commodities or services offered sine each project established would be under one control resulting into specialization in the entire system (Gann & Salter 1999).
More so, the strategic alignment of the projects within the organization would help in establishing a stable chain of distribution of the entire organization. By having each organization's project manager control the operations in his/her assigned project resulting into their increase in professionalism. Specifically, the alignment of the projects within the organization is entirely dependent on the market trends and the opportunities within the supply chain. On this consideration, each project manager would be required to manage his/her allocated project according to the external conditions in the market. In this case, the organization having an established set chain of supply would its projects managers strive towards achieving its set goals and objectives. By so doing, projetification in organization would act as a catalyst towards the realization of the organizations set goals (Flyvbjerg, et al. 2003).
However, the process of projectification has been found to be faced with a number of challenges. Basically, the adaptation of the newly established projects in the chain supply has been found to be one of the main problems faced by organizations. More specifically, though the idea of corporate operations may theoretically exist within the organization, each project having its specific manager may not be well absorbed in the existing supply channel successfully. In this regard, the strategic alignment of the projects may not have been properly developed which may adversely affect the overall performance of the organization. By so doing, the process of projectification would be faced by the challenge of uncertainty. This is because, any project developed may not be assured of its success since each the new projects in the supply chain may be successful of fail. Generally, there is no guarantee of success of the process of projectification within the organization (Miller & Lessard 2001).
Another challenge facing projectification is the management of market matrix in the organization. Basically, the determination of the prices and opportunities in the organization are usually dependent of both external and internal forces within the organization. More specifically, the number of projects manageable by an organization is a very important consideration among the organizations. It is not easy for an organization to determine the performance of the projects to be established. In this respect therefore, the process of projectification among organizations is usually faced with the challenge of determining the number of the projects to establish and their particular structures for their credible performance. Generally, the number of projects developed in organizations has been a major challenge since the size of the organization does not directly imply the capability of the organization to establish many projects (Davies 2006).
As it has been revealed, there are specific inherent problems associated with the alignment of projects within an organization. In this case, the introduction of any new project related to the existing one in the organization may interfere with the overall performance of the organization greatly. It is important to note that, some of the projects established in an organization with an aim of complementing another product which is produced within the organization may act as a barrier for the previously produced commodity. More specifically, the newly established complementary product in the organization may be inferior in quality affecting the market for the previously produced commodities (Sydow, et al. 2002).
Further, externality effects have been found to be one of the main problems facing projectification n organizations. More specifically, the established projects in the organization my affect the operations done in the other projects within the organization greatly. In this case, some of the newly established problems may be having some effects to the entire production system within the organization as a result of any unplanned effects, referred to as externalities. On this basis externality effects may act as a problem in the process of establishing new projects within an organization. Generally, any strategic alignment of the projects in an organization is always accompanied with externalities and therefore, it would not be easy to determine the efficiency of the project in the entire production process in the organization (Frame 2002).
Meanwhile the problems associated with projectification can be solved through deeper analysis of the project to be established in order to ensure their success and not impact negatively in the performance of the entire organization. It should be noted that, the projects initiated in any organization require an in-depth analysis of the externalities which might be associated with the project initiation. By so doing, the establishment of any new project within the organization would enhance proper evaluation of the problems identified and their ultimate solution in advance. Generally, the main solution of the problems associated with projectification in organization should entirely lie on the critical analysis of the situation deeply before establishing any new project in order to reduce any chances of the project affecting the performance of the entire organization (Young 1998).
Conclusion
As it has been revealed, many firms have found the process of projectification inevitable following the currently witnesses competitive business environment. On this basis, the establishing of various projects by firms and organization has been one of the most useful strategic plans for enhancing competitiveness in the business world. There have been various opportunities requiring the initiation of a project by an organization like creating of complementary commodity or service, expanding the already existing corporations and cherishing any new opportunity for a commodity in the supply chain among others. Projectification has been very useful as it has enhanced specialization in production within firms resulting into standardized production. One of the main limitations of projectification is the incorporation of the newly established commodities into the supply chain. On the other hand, the main problem associated with projetification is the uncertainty of the externalities associated with the projects. This can be solved by in-depth analysis of the projects to be established in the organization.
