Construction project managers in the built environment come from various
backgrounds and knowledge bases; therefore, the project managers’ project
management set may differ. The type of knowledge required to improve CPD
training of project managers thus needs to be determined. This would raise
the knowledge levels needed for built environment project managers. The
aim of this article is to determine the knowledge needed for the successful
management of projects within the built environment.
Industry-specific guidelines for construction project management (PMBOK and
SACPCMP) were obtained and analysed. Expert interviews were conducted
with experienced specialists (n=10) who held a senior managerial position
within project management in the built environment. A case study and email
questionnaires (n=40) were also analysed to determine the type of knowledge
required. Data analysis was done using Microsoft Excel 2003®.
Three areas of knowledge were identified, namely project management
knowledge, industry-specific knowledge and knowledge through experience.
Of these, industry-specific knowledge was considered the most important,
although all three were very important. Project management knowledge areas
essential to project managers included the nine PMBOK knowledge areas from the PMI PMBOK guide, 4th edition 2008, four additional PMI Construction
extension to the PMBOK areas, experience as well as built environment-specific
knowledge. This study was limited to the nine knowledge areas and did not
include stakeholder management as the tenth area. The results from all three
test methods (interviews, questionnaires and a case study) indicated that
knowledge was essential for effective leadership, trust and communication
within a project. Without knowledge, these organisational factors were
compromised and project success could be negatively affected. It is concluded that the knowledge needed for the management of projects
within the built environment had to include industry-specific knowledge
pertinent to the built environment. The knowledge required does not currently
appear in a single document, and it is recommended that a new document or
set of required skills be established.
Projekbestuurpaaie is gewoonlik deur verskeie agtergrond en kennisbasisse, dus
mag projekbestuurders se kennisstel verskil. Die tipe kennis wat benodig word
om VPO-opleiding van projekbestuurders te verbeter, moet bepaal word. Dit sal
die kennisvlakke wat bou-omgewing projekbestuurders benodig, verhoog. Die
doel met die artikel is om die benodigde kennisvlakke van ‘n projekbestuurder
in die bou-omgewing vas te stel.
Industriespesifieke konstruksieprojekbestuurriglyne (PMBOK en SACPCMP) is
verkry en geanaliseer. Spesialis onderhoude is met ervare spesialiste (n=10) wat
‘n senior posisie in die bou-omgewing beklee, gehou. ‘n Gevallestudie en epos
vraelyste (n=40) is ook ontleed om die tipe kennis wat benodig word te bepaal.
Data-analise is gedoen deur Microsoft Excell 2003® te gebruik.
Die drie kennisareas is projekbestuurkennis, industrie-spesifieke kennis en kennis
deur ondervinding. Van die drie areas, is industrie kennis as die belangrikste
gereken, alhoewel almal belangrik was. Projekbestuur kennisareas wat belangrik
is vir projekbestuurders sluit die nege PMBOK kennisareas van die PMI PMBOK 4de
uitgawe 2008 in, en vier addisionele areas van die PMI Konstruksie uitbreiding tot
die PMBOK, kennis deur ondervinding en industrie-spesifieke kennis in. Die studie
was beperk tot die nege kennis areas en het nie belanghebbendesbestuur as
tiende area ingesluit nie. Die resultate van al drie toetsmetodes (onderhoude, vraelyste en ‘n gevallestudie) wys op die belangrikheid van kennis vir leierskap,
vertroue en kommunikasie tydens ‘n projek. Sonder kennis word hierdie
organisasiefaktore benadeel en kan projeksukses negatief beïnvloed word.
Dit is bevind dat die kennis wat ‘n projekbestuurder in die bou-omgewing
benodig industrie-spesifiek binne die bou-omgewing moet wees. Daar bestaan
nie tans een dokument wat die totale kennisstel bevat nie. Dit word aanbeveel
dat ‘n nuwe dokument of stel van vereiste kennis/vaardighede saamgestel word.