Motor Ways Company is a road construction company which is based in Kenya. The company was given the responsibility to construct roads in the rural parts of Kenya in order to open them up so as to encourage trade in the area. The main reason for opening up these rural areas was to encourage trade and also to promote rural industrialization which is in line with the Kenyan vision 2030. The industry laid down their objectives which were also in line with the objectives for opening up those areas. However, most of the fundamental objectives both from the side of the government and the construction industry were net met because of one reason or another. This paper shall critically and comprehensively discuss the reasons why the most of the fundamental objectives of the project were not met. The paper will also analyze some of the impacts that emerged as a result of failing to meet the set objectives. The paper shall conclude by looking at some of measures that the company could have put in place so as to ensure that the objectives are fully met.
This was a project meant to construct roads in the rural parts of the country. The project aimed at ensuring that the areas are made accessible. Actually, over the past decade, this country has never had the opportunity to construct modern roads in the rural area. This has actually slowed development in the rural areas. The government has worked extremely hard to bring back the states of the roads to what they should be but unfortunately the finance that has always been channeled towards that work has ended up in the pockets of few individual. This has made the condition of the roads in the rural areas to be pathetic. It is believed that the money that has always been channeled towards the construction of roads in the rural areas has ended up in the pockets of very few people because of the weak constitution and weak governance.
However, after the election, the governance of the country changed and the new head of state embarked on a thorough job which was aimed standardizing the conditions of roads in the rural area. The government invited many road constructors to place their bids after which the highest bidder was given an opportunity to take over the construction of roads in the rural areas so as to widen up the infrastructural facilities of the area. The construction of roads in the rural areas was meant to ensure that each and every part of the country is made accessible in order to promote development and trade in the once considered marginalized area.
Certain objectives were put in place which was to be fulfilled within a given period of time. One of the objectives was to ensure that all the constructions were over in one and a half year time. However, some of the objectives were not met because of one reason or another. This paper therefore aims at outlining the objectives of the rural road construction and why some of the objectives were not fulfilled within the time period. The paper will also analyze some of the risks that were associated with the project.
However, it is sad to state that the objectives of the project were not fully met. Some of the reasons that lead to the failure of the objectives include failure to consider the importance of the objectives, lack of adequate knowledge and skills to deliver the project, lack of motivation or ownership to deliver the objectives of the project, inadequate resources to deliver the objectives and then finally failure to strictly follow the project plan.
Failure to strictly follow the project plan:
Project plan is vital for the success of any project. Failure to strictly follow the project implies that the project itself is likely to fail. This is because the plan carries the overall plan on how the project is to be executed. The plan has to be followed because it provides an outline on what should be done, when it should be done, where it should be done and how it should be done. After the road construction project failed to be completed within the set period of time, it was realized that the project plan was never strictly followed.
Inadequate resources
Road construction requires adequate resources. The project planner should have ensured that the resources set in the plan are adequate to finish the project. However, in the case of this project, it failed because during the time the plan was being made, the planner did not take into consideration the amount of resources required for the project to be complete. This however, put the project to standstill making it fail to meet its objectives effectively.
Lack of relevant knowledge and skills to make the project working. The construction industry which was mandated to construct the road lacked experience in the field since the industry was still new in the field. Confirmed reports shows that the industry was preferred because it was the cheapest among all the bidders. Lack of relevant knowledge and experience in the field of construction was one of the reasons why the constructors failed to meet their objectives as specified earlier.
Failure to appreciate the importance of the objectives.
As we all understand, objectives are critical in the success of any project. This is because they act as the driver and motivator. Objectives motivate employees to work hard in order to achieve the set objectives. Failure to appreciate the objectives set discourages the employees hence reducing their morale to work hard hence making objectives unachievable.
Impacts of the problems
Failure of the project to meet its intended objectives had a great negative impact on the economy of the country. Actually by opening up the rural areas, trade could have been increased which in turn could have led to increase in the country’s GDP. However, because of the failure of the project, this never came to be.
Secondly, the government expenditure on the project was very high. Because of the failure of the project, this implied that the expenditure which had been set aside for the construction work went unutilized. Actually, these funds could have been used in other development project of the country.
Thirdly, failure of the project was a big blow to the Kenya’s vision 2030. Actually, according to the vision 2030 plan, Kenya ought to be industrialized country. However, industrialization cannot be achieved without considering the availability of important infrastructural facilities such as the roads. This implies that failure of the project was a big blow to the country’s vision 2030.
Recommendation
This part of the paper shall analyze comprehensively and critically some of the ways through which the following problems can be analyzed and rectified. The following are some of the ways through which the above mentioned problems can be rectified in order to ensure that the objectives of the project are fully achieved
First and foremost, we have to ensure that the project plan is strictly followed and well prepared. This is because the project plan outlines how the objectives set are to be achieved. Therefore, following the plans strictly ensures that most of the objectives are achieved. The second thing is that the plan should be adequate. The plan should ensure that the resources available are enough to complete the project successfully.
Secondly, the government should ensure that the construction industry selected among the bidders is that which has the relevant knowledge and experience to successfully complete the project. Remember, the project failed to meet its objectives simply because the construction industry selected had inadequate knowledge and experience since it was still new in the field. The government therefore has to ensure that the construction industry selected is one which can deliver as required.
Thirdly, the project management and any other person associated with the project should appreciate the importance of the objectives of the project. The manager should emphasize frequently on the need to achieve the set objectives. He/she should frequently have briefings with the project supervisors so as to brainstorm on how the project is faring on so that incase of any deviation, then it is corrected immediately.
Conclusion
This paper has critically and comprehensively looked at some of the objectives that were set for this project and why the project eventually failed to achieve its set objectives. Some of the initial objectives of the project include:
On the other hand, the project also looked at some of the reasons why the project did not achieve its set objectives. Among the factors discussed that led to the failure of the project include:
Inadequate resources
Road construction requires adequate resources. The project planner should always ensure that the resources set in the plan are adequate to finish the project. However, in the case of this project, it failed because during the time plan was being made, the planner did not take into consideration the amount of resources required for the project to be complete. This however, put the project to standstill making it fail to meet its objectives effectively.
Lack of relevant knowledge and skills to make the project working. The construction industry which was mandated to construct the road lacked experience in the field since the industry was still new in the field. Confirmed reports shows that the industry was preferred because it was the cheapest among all the bidders. Lack of relevant knowledge and experience in the field of construction was one of the reasons why the constructors failed to meet their objectives as specified earlier.
Failure to appreciate the importance of the objectives.
As we all understand, objectives are critical in the success of any project. This is because they act as the driver and motivator. Objectives motivate employees to work hard in order to achieve the set objectives. Failure to appreciate the objectives set discourages the employees hence reducing their morale to work hard hence making objectives unachievable. Others include failure to strictly follow the project plan and lack of relevant knowledge and experience to execute the project.
References
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Schwalbe, K. (2006). Introduction to Project Management. London: Cengage Learning.
Billows, D. (2002).Project Management Plan. New York: Dick Billows.
Kerzner, H.(2013). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
