Complex Project Management Issues

This document discusses the complex project management issues in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project. It covers topics such as financial resources, project structure, ambiguity, dynamics, uncertainty, and social structure. The document provides insights into the challenges faced in managing this large-scale construction project.

Running head: COMPLEX PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMPLEX PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES
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COMPLEX PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES
Table of Contents
Complex project management issues recommended by the ICCPM roundtable:................................2
1.Details:...........................................................................................................................................2
Financial resource in the project:.................................................................................................2
Structure of the project:................................................................................................................2
Project management:....................................................................................................................2
2. Ambiguity:....................................................................................................................................3
Stakeholders have a different view regarding the success of the project:....................................3
High level of architectural and design details required:...............................................................3
Differing views on project benefit:..............................................................................................3
3. Dynamics:.....................................................................................................................................4
Change in African politics:...........................................................................................................4
Change in the economy of Ethiopia:............................................................................................4
Change in the environment:.........................................................................................................4
4. Uncertainty:..................................................................................................................................5
Lack of environmental assessment:..............................................................................................5
5. Social structure & Interrelationships:...........................................................................................5
Social dimension of complexity:..................................................................................................5

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COMPLEX PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES
Complex project management issues recommended by the ICCPM roundtable:
1.Details:
Three important variables regarding project complexity in GERD project:
Financial resource in the project:
Large construction project especially that has potential to influence National and
international politics is always complex and it is particularly difficult to arrange for funds
completing this project in case of Grand Ethiopian resonance dam project arrangement of
international funding has been any critical issue and the project has relied on funding through local
sources which it is not coordinated and properly controlled this has increased complexity of the
financial model in this project increasing the overall complexity of the project as well.
Structure of the project:
Grand Ethiopian resonance Dam which is one of the biggest in the world and the largest in
Africa is a challenging project to implement both in term of Technical aspect and Engineering
efficiency. Due to the structural complexity of the project involving technical and design
complexity make this project a complex one to manage properly.
Project management:
According to international reports this project which is such a complex on to execute
required an expert team to manage various aspect of the project. However, lack of expertise in the
project team particularly in managing resources through proper Sourcing has made this project
deliberately complex not only resource Sourcing, but resource allocation has also been inefficient in
this project which has made this project difficult to execute efficiently

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COMPLEX PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES
2. Ambiguity:
Stakeholders have a different view regarding the success of the project:
This project is closely monitored by Egypt Sudan and other international organizations of
which international river in prominent one in this project. Ethiopia insists that this project will
benefit not only Ethiopia but other African Nations as well however Egypt and Sudan things that
this project is a violation of the Nile Treaty signed between Egypt and Sudan along with that
International river which is the non-profit organization working for human and environmental
aspects things that this project will have a diverse input on the environment and hence should not be
completed search different view open project and lack of coordination between the stakeholders has
made this project a complex one.
High level of architectural and design details required:
Due to the structural complexity of the project this project needs and detailed plan for
constructing the dam therefore high level detailing in design and architecture plan is required
however search detailing has increased ambiguity in the project as this Complex design is difficult
to implement on such a large scale architectural and design ambiguity has been and critical issue in
this project
Differing views on project benefit:
According to Ethiopia, this project will not only boost the economics of Ethiopia but it will
also promote the principle of regional integrity in the African Nations. However, Egypt and Sudan
accuse that this project is meant for propagating political agenda and through this Ethiopia wants to
establish political power in the African Nations while violating principles of Corporation and
coordinated development for all the African Nations. Report of international river claims that this
project has not conducted a proper environmental assessment and if completed this will decorate
environmental conditions Ethiopia neighboring African countries. When there are so many different
views regarding the benefits of the project which increases ambiguity in the project execution.

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3. Dynamics:
Three important change during the execution of the project:
Change in African politics:
In African political context Egypt has established strong control over designing and
implementing policies in African Nations weather Egypt accept or not this political influence is due
to economic development in Egypt in which river Nile place an important role and it has been
successful on establishing control over the Nile water how is the construction of the time this
political context is likely to be changed and it will provide Ethiopia to establish themselves as a
political power in the African Nations. Is this is one of the significant change that this project will
bring if completed properly
Change in the economy of Ethiopia:
Just like Egypt used water of Nile to transform desert into agricultural land this Dam on Nile
river will allow Ethiopia to make progress in water trading and bring a complete reform in the
economic structure this Dam will allow Ethiopia to control downstream of Nile river and it will help
them to promote tourism which might be and significant aspect of economic change in Ethiopia
Change in the environment:
In order to review the environmental impact of this project Egypt formed an expert panel
consisting of various environmentalist from the country the member of this panel has accused
Ethiopia of violating environmental integration through the construction of this Dam on Nile river
according to his report construction of this Dam will result in reduction of agricultural land and this
might be significant as 60% projection in agricultural land it will also impact the Aswan Dam
significantly and it will bring significant damage to this Aswan Dam, therefore, it will bring
significant change in the environment and degrading the quality of the environment as well.

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COMPLEX PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES
4. Uncertainty:
Lack of environmental assessment:
Even though Ethiopia denied of any environmental impact due to this project will surely
bring significant structural change in the overall environment of Ethiopia reduction in agricultural
land impact on other Dam on the Nile river inflow of water to other Nations are some of the
important aspects that should have been studied in details as these impacts are likely to be
Incorporated in this project hence expert assessment in this context was required which was not
done inappropriate manner for reducing environmental impact of this project.
5. Social structure & Interrelationships:
Social dimension of complexity:
Among the people who live near the construction of the Dam majority of them are fisher-
people or hunter. However, the construction of this Dam might force them to opt out of their
traditional income sources and this present a complex social dimension for the project and it makes
it difficult to find a balance between Complex social structure and economic benefits that the
project offers. Hence this social dimension of the project has made it complex to execute properly.

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