Project Management and Conflict Resolution

This assignment delves into the complexities of project management, focusing specifically on conflict resolution within a dynamic organizational setting. It requires students to analyze various conflict management styles and their applicability in diverse project scenarios. The emphasis is on understanding how effective communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills contribute to successful conflict resolution, ultimately leading to project success.

Running Head: ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT 1
Engineering Management
Student’s Name
Institution
Date

ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT 2
Executive Summary
The report below will discuss and analyze the strategies for management of control and
conflict within organizations with the focus on reasons and types of conflicts the resolution
strategies set to tackle these conflicts, as per the survey results. It will also look at the tools and
techniques used in managing a medium-sized engineering project and the roles and
responsibilities of the top, middle and first-line managers about conducting the planning,
organizing, controlling and directing functions of management. The paper aims to look at all the
aspects by considering the Australian Engineering competencies as per survey results.

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Organization
The organization used in this particular work is Aztec Engineering Company
Assessment against the 14 Principles of Management
Alignment –the alignment of employee behavior with the set of articulated company values, for
example, most of the workers we hire are usually aligned with our value of offering quality
standard artistry hence having a genuine interest to work with us and ultimately fostering loyalty
and exemplary performance, according to survey data collected.
Distributed leadership – At Aztec, according to the survey, most days to day operations have
been devolved to lower management along with accountability and responsibility within the
agreed realms of control. This has enabled the senior management to concentrate on creating
opportunities for business growth and development that cater for the company's medium and
long-term goals.
Effort Integration – the survey shows that Aztec ensures that the company integrates its values,
activities, and goals with those of suppliers and customers thus making the relationship like a
partnership, ultimately creating avenues for the coordination of supply and optimization of
investments which allows the end user to enjoy a high level of features per unit price.
Out Front – Aztec has invested heavily in technology as it is crucial in supplying with
information that enables the company to achieve and maintain international standards. The
survey shows that Aztec is a benchmark leader in observing environmental policy and practice,
and the company is reputable for outstanding supplier partnership development and industry
standards.

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Up Front – Aztec’s management believes that honesty is pivotal in fostering trust among
customers, partners, and other stakeholders and as a result transparency is highly insisted on by
both the management and other employees, which is indicated by the results of the survey.
Resourcing the medium term – The management at Aztec has resolved to delegate most
operational duties to middle managers and helps in allocating the executive management with
ample time to plan for the future according to the survey. Senior management is comprised of
visionary individuals who will cut operational costs of short and medium-term operations if it
means better opportunities for long-term goals.
Time-Based – The senior management understands the importance of time, and more often than
not, strategic plans are with the aim of reducing the time used during, production, precision, and
delivery of items and services, ergo, improving quality, costs and flexibility. All this is
demonstrated in the survey.
Bias for Action – Aztec strives to stand out of the rest by ensuring that no time is wasted
between formulating ideas and strategies and executing them. The management tries its best to
execute sensitive and complex change management plans appropriately, which is evidenced by
the survey results.
Learning Focus –from the survey, learning is a critical attribute of performance employees.
Aztec encourages its employees to share knowledge amongst each other to increase performance
and improve the process and ultimately secure future firm's prosperity.
Discipline – Aztec maintains and follows a high degree of standardization of work processes and
all the employees adhere to workplace rules, norms and cultures. This is important in

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maintaining order in the organization. From the survey, it is evident that the issue of discipline
cannot be shunned in organizations.
Measurement/Reporting and Publication – according to the survey, Aztec keeps regular
records and measurement of the company’s financial stand-points and performs regular checks of
the no-financial parameters of the company such as the operational, organizational and
technological systems.
Customer Value – Aztec makes it a priority to provide the best customer service in the game.
The feedback mechanism shows that most customers are happy with the service delivery and the
company always tries to improve customer value by forecasting changes I customer needs and
suggesting options which can be realized from the survey.
Capabilities creation – regardless of tough financial times, corporate or departmental
restructuring, during market downturns and cost-reductions exercises such as downsizing, and as
per the survey, Aztec doesn't compromise on the capabilities it has, that is offering high-quality
services and artistry.
Micro to Macro – Aztec’s employees understand that no matter their place in the chain of
command, their roles are also crucial to achieving the ultimate goals. From the survey, there are
all indications that employees work together to realize the big picture.
Sustainability and Internationalization
Aztec notably utilizes the internalization theory to keep the cash, workforce, and resources
flowing within the organization (Forsgren, 2015). From the survey, I discovered that Instead of
hiring outside workers to clear out construction debris, the company collects the debris and

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recycles and manufactures products for future use hence saving and developing business growth
at the same time.
1. Company Background/ Description
Aztec Engineering is a collaboration of experience manager with extensive experience
and background in the construction and civil engineering industry. From or the headquarters in
Brisbane, Aztec offers a service where value, quality, and efficiency are our key fundamentals.
Contact person- Head of the human resource at Aztec Engineering Solutions.
2. Survey Results
Principle 1: Alignment: from the survey, the results show that the company has done well in
aligning the behaviors of the employees with the values of the company.
Principle 2: Distributed Leadership: When it comes to distributive leadership, it is apparent
that the company has done well.
Principle 3: Integration of Effort: According to the results, the company is interested in
meeting the needs of the company rather than just providing leadership.
Principle 4: ‘Out-Front.': The company has done a recommendable job when it comes to
ensuring that standards and practices are at their best.
Principle 5: ‘Up-Front.': Openness in the company is a virtue that the company holds dearly
and that is evident by looking at the results of the survey.
Principle 6: Resourcing the Medium Term: The Company has been able to make sure that it
maintains balance when it comes to issues that might affect the operations of the company.

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Principle 7: Time Based: When it comes to the way that the organization manages its time, it is
apparent that the company values time and does not engage in time-wasting activities.
Principle 8: Bias for Action: The implementation of the ideas and strategies by the company is
not affected by biases rather than facts and effectiveness of the ideas.
Principle 9: Learning Focus: The Company has done well in bringing employees on board.
Such has been made possible through continuous learning processes and programs.
Principle 10: Discipline: When it comes to procedures and policies, the company knows the
value of having an organization where there are stable policies. Therefore, the company ensures
that there are policies and they are aimed at governing and leading the employees.
Principle 11: Measurement/Reporting and Publication: The Company makes sure that there
are measures in place which are aimed at motivating the employees to be effective in their
operations.
Principle 12: Customer Value: A customer is a significant stakeholder. The company looks
after the needs of the customer by ensuring that value for the customer is enhanced at all time.
Principle 13: Capabilities Creation: The Company is one the frontline in ensuring that the
employees are motivated to be effective. Such is evident through the performance of the
company in the survey that was conducted.
Principle 14: Micro to Macro: The Company has made sure that employees are aware of the
significance of their contributions towards making the company a success. The company has
been able to achieve that by appreciating and empowering the employees.
Interpretation of the report

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The report shows that the company is doing all it can to ensure that its management practices
are in line with the desired goals. By looking at the way the company has performed on the
fourteen principles of management, it is apparent that the company is embracing the Australian
Engineering Capabilities (Daft, R., & Marcic, D., 2016). This is evident by looking at the areas
that the company is doing and some of the capabilities in Australian engineering Capabilities.
For example, the Australian Engineering capabilities call for an organization to understand the
needs of the clients. The requirement is in line with the principle number 12 which calls for an
organization to know the value of the customer. In this specific principle, evidenced by the
survey, the company has scored 5, and that is a sign to show the commitment of the company.
How the company could improve its management principles, practice, and performance
Based on the survey results, the company needs to look into distributed leadership aspect. In
the modern day, Leaders need to approach issues in a more diverse way (Argenti, 2015). The
junior employees are the most significant stakeholders in an organization. This is because they
implement the strategies laid down by the management. With this in mind, there is a need to
engage them in the process of drafting and implementing the strategies. Therefore, the company
needs to take distributed leadership to the highest level. By so doing, the company will enjoy
increased productivity from the employees who will feel valued and part and parcel of the
organization.
3. Cross-Cultural Awareness Policies
Aztec has a program established for the sole purpose of providing employees with
training on awareness of cross-cultural policies. The program is well defined with different
stages of training that offers skills in dealing a culturally diverse workforce by understanding and

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appreciating the diversity of the human race. The training encompasses all varieties of cultures
including training on indigenous Aboriginal Australian culture. From the survey, there is a need
for the management to come up with a framework that makes sure job allocations and
promotions are given fairly and that every culture is represented.
4. Company Strengths
The strengths of the company are associated with how good the company has scored on
some of the principles. If the company has scored the highest, then it becomes apparent that on
that specific principle, the company has demonstrated strength. When it comes to integrating
others into the processes and functions of the company, Aztec has performed well. The company
does not only give rules; but it also makes sure that it involves others in the process of making
decisions and that makes all employees feel as part and parcel of the organization (Barney,
2014). The company has done well on matters affiliated with standards and practices.
The company makes sure that is on the frontline in making sure that high standards are
practices are observed in the processes of the company. When it comes to short-term and
medium strategies and issues, the company tries to maintain balance. Some organizations pay
much attention to only long-term issues, but that is not the case in Aztec. Management and
utilization of time are one of the aspects that the company takes seriously. This is a strength
because management of time has positive effects on the processes and operations of any given
organization. When it comes to sharing information with the employees, it is apparent that the
company has done extremely well.
This is a strength because of numerous reasons. When a company shares information
crucial to the growth of the company, the company experiences growth. At the same time, when

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the employees realize that the company does not hide anything from them, they feel as part and
parcel of the organization. When employees feel as part and parcel of an organization, they are
motivated to work tirelessly towards attaining the goals of the company (Barney, 2014). The
company has value for its customers. Customer value is one of the most significant principles.
The reason why the company is in place is to meet the needs of the customers.
Therefore, if the company fail to do so, it stands a chance to be kicked out of the
competitive market. Scoring highest on customer value is a strength. The strength depicts the
management as value-oriented and visionary. The last strength that has been depicted by the
company in line with the fourteen principle survey is micro to macro. Micro to macro entails
making sure that the employees are aware of their contribution to the company. The company’s
management has done all within its power to appreciate and honor the employees. As a result,
the employees know what impact their efforts have on the processes and operations of the whole
company.
Company weaknesses
Harsh climate in most of the Australian continent is one of the weaknesses affecting the
company in its operations. According to the survey, this weakness puts the company in a
disadvantageous position as far as smooth operations are concerned. Fluctuating economic times
also make the market unpredictable. As a result, planning and budgeting for the company
operations become a challenge. The organization has a score of 4 in regards to alignment.
Alignment involves the coordination of all employees’ behaviors with the organization’s values
and directions. The entity needs to improve regarding aligning personnel objectives with those of
the entity. At the same time, there is a need to ensure that all values and morals, as well as
directions, are respected in this principle (Barney, 2014).

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Distributed leadership is also a weakness in this organization. In every business, there is a
need for individuals to work in teams and deliver as per the requirements. Decision making and
performance improvement need to be boosted, for the sake of increased efficiency. The fifth
principle is also a weakness for the organization. The organization has not yet achieved
efficiency when it comes to the balancing of short term and medium term issues and requires to
enhance integrity and openness in its business activities. The entity requires improvement to be
‘upfront.' Other weaknesses of the organization include; bias for action, learning focus and
discipline, which are related to principles 8, 9 and 10.
Regarding bias for action, the organization is not good at implementing ideas and
strategies. Regarding learning focus, everyone in the entity is not actively involved in the
learning and development programs, which needs to be corrected to increase efficiency.
Discipline, as the tenth principle, needs to be highly considered. The entity should step up and
invest in policies and procedures, as well as standards which will lead to the application of strong
business systems (Barney, 2014). Finally, capability creation is a major weakness in the
organization. The organization’s capabilities are not defined priority areas, which needs to be
corrected for development and investment purposes.
5. Analysis/ Discussion
Strategies for Management of Control and Conflict within Organizations
Conflicts in organizations is a common occurrence that in most cases makes people so
uncomfortable that they choose to suppress it as opposed to dealing with it. According to the
survey, suppressing conflicts doesn't bear any positive fruits and may even cause more problems
(Wallensteen, 2015). Conflicts can, however, at times be a good thing as they can arise from

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valid reasons. Good managers need to understand the causes, types and ways of managing and
resolving conflicts at the workplace. The Australian Engineering competencies present useful
strategies which may be of help to the process of resolving conflicts.
Reasons for Conflict in Organizations
Conflicts occur when different people's beliefs, priorities, and interests clash (Autesserre, 2014).
Other factors that cause conflict within the organization based on the survey results include;
a) Poor communication.
Lack of clear communication or no communication at all can lead to employees making incorrect
assumptions and this cause conflict.
b) The difference in personalities.
This can cause conflict when an employee fails to understand or appreciate the difference in
his/her colleagues' personalities.
c) The difference in values.
Failure to accept and understand the difference in values especially when age-groups and
generation gaps are concerned can bring about the conflict at work.
d) Competition.
Competition at the workplace is good for motivation, but if it is not properly managed, it can
become unhealthy and cause conflicts (Fry, D., & Bjorkqvist, K., 2013).
e) Managerial expectations.

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When companies are faced with stiff competition, employees are put on the pressure to perform.
If the goals and objectives allocated to these employees are communicated, conflicts could arise.
Managers need to vividly address their requirements to their employees while encouraging them
to seek clarification on matters not comprehended.
f) Misunderstanding information.
Correct information is critical to organizations, especially along production lines. Passing of
incorrect information down a production line can cause conflicts within the supply chain. For
example, if the production manager sends the wrong information about the quantities to be used
in a manufacturing process, the suppliers could end up having a shortage or a surplus in goods to
supply.
g) Lack of accountability.
If a problem has occurred within an organization and there’s nobody taking responsibility, there
could be conflicts until the situation is resolved. Managers can solve this situation by having
every employee that comes into contact with a document to sign and add the date of signing as a
paper trail could be used to find employees responsible for a mishap in the organization.
Types of Conflicts
Task conflicts – occurs when two parties disagree on the facts of a situation, such as company
policies and procedures, task completing methods or distribution of resources, due to opposing
behaviors, needs and attitudes (Mesmer-Magnus, J., & Doty, D., 2013).
Interpersonal Conflicts – this is a conflict between two people or groups that is caused by the
difference in opinions, personalities, value, and beliefs.

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Procedural Conflict – this type of conflict occurs when every member of a team or group agrees
on the goals to be achieved but disagree on the methods, process, and means of achieving the
said goals (Vachon, F., & Tremblay, S., 2014).
Affective conflict – this type of conflict occurs when collaborating parties disagree by
interpersonal prejudices such as strong political, racial, ideological or religious differences.
Conflict Resolution Strategies
Great managers need to possess certain qualities such as decision-making skills,
management skills; negotiation skills, leadership skills, observation skills, time management
skills and most importantly they should possess workplace communication skills if they are to
manage conflicts and disputes within the organization successfully. According to the survey,
with the aid of these qualities, the manager should utilize the following strategies to manage
workplace conflicts effectively;
Understanding the situation
Hardly is the case that situations are honestly presented during a conflict. Most often than
not, facts are usually exaggerated or underrated especially when presented by others. based on
the survey results, it is therefore wise for a manager to first adequately investigate both sides of
the story before making any decisions or judgments (Cummings, T., & Worley, C., 2014).
Understanding emotional responses
Heated arguments bring about strong emotional reactions, and the people involved
usually result in their natural defense mechanisms – fight or flight – hence logical thinking takes

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the 2nd place. It is therefore crucial for managers to understand how to decode facts from
emotional reactions so that they can logically deduce solutions for the conflict.
Consider views from all the involved parties
It is a common occurrence for dialogues to be halted when a person or group in a conflict
is rendered wrong. A great manager should listen and consider views from all the involved
parties even if some are wrong (Kerzner, 2014). This will foster teamwork as employees will feel
that their opinions are appreciated regardless of their correctness.
Identifying the cause
Managers need to keep a keen eye out for re-occurring conflicts as they might be a
manifestation of underlying troubles within the organization either on the ground or the
management level.
Focusing on the problem, not the individual
Great managers understand that everybody’s opinions matter regardless of their
personalities. A particular employee could be perceived by the rest as a trouble-maker, but that
doesn't mean that they don't have legitimate problems and opinions (Mayer, 2015).
Establish regular feedback meetings
Great managers can opt to implement regular open sessions with the sole intention of
brainstorming on the procedures that are working and the ones not working. This provides the
employees with a platform to air their opinions freely thus mitigating future conflicts on the
same issue.
Implementing a conflict resolution protocol

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One of the ways to prevent future conflicts is to have every member help in creating a
conflict resolution protocol, and chances are they will respect the code as they are the authors.
Establish clear communication guidelines
A good manager should have his employees adopt and agree or clear, official
communication channels (Cahn, D., & Abigail, R., 2014). Having unacceptable and
counterproductive means of communication can bring about misinformation hence causing
conflicts within the organization.
Roles and Responsibilities of Top, Middle and First-Line Managers
The role manager’s play in engineering institutions and organizations is key to the proper
functioning of the organization as they are tasked with economical and effective planning
responsibilities (Nicholas, J., & Steyn, H., 2017). Essentially, based on the results obtained from
the survey, the role of managers is to predict and plan, to organize, to direct and to control.
Top Managers
Top managers are the senior-most managers in an organization. As a business grows,
there come legal and operational needs to divide the roles into several top-level management
sections to conscientiously actualize functions that are getting more intricate. The chief executive
officer (C.E.O) is the highest-ranking manager in an organization and only reports to the board
of directors. The CEO is responsible for advancing the comprehensive goals and strategies for
the enterprise (Dale, 2015).

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The chief operating officer (C.O.O) is often the 2nd highest-ranking officer and reports directly to
the chief executive officer and can act as an arbitrator between the CEO and other top-level
managers. The chief operating officer is responsible for overseeing all daily operations.
Next in hierarchy is the chief financial officer (C.F.O) who is responsible for
superintending the company’s finances, book-keeping and ensuring that the company’s financial
controls are in line with all federal and tax regulations. The chief financial officer is followed by
the chief information officer (C.I.O) also known as the chief technology officer. This manager is
responsible for managing the technological needs of an organization about the implementation of
computer and information systems (Argenti, 2015).
Roles of Management in Planning, Organizing, Controlling and Directing
1. Planning
Planning is the function of management that entails having managers set goals and
determines the course of action for attaining these objectives. It requires managers to be always
aware of economic and financial conditions affecting the organization and forecasting future
trends (Arends, 2014).
The following are types of plans and planning that manager’s use;
Strategic planning – Top managers oversee conducting strategic planning. This type of
planning involves assessing the organization's strengths and weaknesses to analyze competitive
possibilities and threats and then discerning means of putting the organization in an effectively-
competitive position in the business environment (Barney, 2014). It is usually a long process that
can take more than three years.

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Tactical Planning – this is the intermediate-range within which middle-level managers can take
1-3 years to establish relatively substantial means to aid in the implementation of the strategic
plan (Haines, 2016).
Operational Planning – this is short-term planning (1 year) that focuses subunit and
organization-wide goals. It is usually overseen by 1st line managers who are responsible for
creating specific frameworks to aid in the facilitation of tactical and strategic plans (Johnson,
2014).
2. Organizing
This function of management involves establishing an organization structure and ensuring
human resources are allocated to facilitate the accomplishment of objectives (Scott, W., & Davis,
G., 2015). The organization’s structure acts as the framework for effort coordination. Senior
managers agree on organizational design decisions and present the structure by an organizational
chart with a graphic depiction of the organization’s hierarchy (Daft, R., & Marcic, D., 2016). The
managers also determine the duties and responsibilities of individual and how well to cluster or
departmentalize jobs for effective effort coordination.
3. Controlling
This function of management entails ascertaining that performance does not stray from standards
(Goetsch, D., & Davis, S., 2014). Managers perform these functions using the following steps;
i) Establishing performance standards. Performance standards are usually measured in
monetary terms, for example, costs, revenue or profits.
ii) Contrasting actual performance against standards and
iii) Implementing corrective measures when necessary.

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This function is conducted by managers from all levels of the organization. The control function
does not mean that managers should control juniors in a manipulative way, but rather it entails
having the managers play their role in taking the required and appropriate action toward the
accomplishment of company goals and objectives. There are two traditional techniques used
controlling;
i) Budget Audit – provides information on the organization's progress and position
about plans and budgets (Shatri, Y., & Hashani, S., 2016).
ii) Performance Audit – tries to determine whether the information given in the budget
report reflects actual performance (Skærbæk, P., & Christensen, M., 2014).
4) Directing
This function requires managers to be good leaders to direct effectively. Directing is an inter-
personnel aspect of management which involves managers dealing directly with subordinates
in supervising, guiding, motivating and influencing them towards achieving set objectives. It
involves the following elements;
i) Supervision – the act of overseeing by watching and directing work
ii) Motivation – encouraging, inspiring and stimulating subordinates with the zeal to
work.
iii) Leadership – guiding and influencing work to the desired direction
iv) Communication – sharing of information, opinion or experience within the working
environment
6. Recommendations

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Aztec should invest more on information intelligence especially in the finance
departments to come up with strategies for dealing the ever-changing financial times. Financial
investment goes a long way for most organizations, especially where success is the main priority
for most firms. Aztec should take into consideration all required Australian engineering
principles for the sake of boosting its success and public relations in the organization. Basing
consideration on the survey results, Aztec as a firm needs to step up and ensure that information
intelligence is not shunned. This way, it will acquire a competitive edge in the market, and more
so, be known for its quality, professionalism and effective service delivery.
Engineering practitioners in Australia are governed by the code of ethics. Therefore, I
would recommend that these principles be highly adhered to. There is a need to keep in mind the
knowledge and skills of this profession for the sole benefit of the community. The major aim is
to create engineering solutions, to realize a sustainable future. In future, the organization needs to
strive to serve the community. Conflicts of interest need to be put behind professional interests.
A code of conduct should be followed and made known to every person. The engineering
profession in the country should not be tarnished, but this can only be achieved where discipline
is emphasized.
Thirdly, Aztec should consider opting out of internalization processes and venture out of
its comfort zone by trying to outsource. Dealing with the shortage of skilled labor will require
Aztec’s management to consider reinventing themselves by thinking outside the box and
broadening the scope of hiring skills. Instead of just focusing on individuals with engineering
knowledge and skills, the company can try hiring people with other skills and expertise such as
analytical experts who would come in handy in all areas of management. Analytical skills are

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highly sought after in the business world, and individuals who possess these skills could help in
human resource, finance, and inventory services.
It is everybody's responsibility to conserve the environment and Aztec should spearhead
the campaign by pursuing means of developing alternative sources of energy. Most of the
equipment involved in the construction industry use petroleum products for fuel, and this ends up
having a detrimental effect on the environment. Aztec should be actively involved in developing
other sources of energy such as solar, wind and biomass fuels. It is the desire of every
organization to achieve profitability in the long term, and more so, be at par with all industry
concepts, processes, and procedures which enhance overall success.
Aztec, just like any other organization, needs to deal with relevant principles, required
aspects, and professionally set standards to ensure the Australian engineering aspects are not
shunned. All these elements should be emphasized at the organization level, for improved
efficiency in general. The bottom line to adhere to set engineering standards, remain efficient,
produce at high quality and have the best, reliable and competent professionals to work in the
organization. Service to the community is of utmost importance as well.
7. Challenges and how I overcame them
The challenges in making this report are associated with connecting leadership and the
effects it has on the organization from diverse perspectives. The connection between the
management of an organization and the Australian engineering capabilities also came in handy.
However, the whole process was educative in different ways. One of the ways is related to the
Australian Engineering Capabilities. I was able to know that the capabilities play a big role in
helping a company to be effective in leadership as well in conflict resolution. The capabilities are

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rich in ideas that do not only help an organization to grow but also helps an organization to deal
with its internal affairs without affecting the leadership structure. Researching more about the
company used was also educative because from the survey, I was able to understand why the
capabilities would be of so much help to the company. I was able to overcome the challenges by
conducting an in depth research.
8. Lessons learned
Some of the lessons learned are associated with management and leadership in an
organization, and strictly from the results of the survey. I learned that an organization cannot be
effective if it does not implement leadership plans in its strategies. I was able to identify how the
Australian Engineering competencies can be effective in an engineering organization. This was
through the interview and also by just going through the competencies and looking at different
ways in which the organization has med sure that it is effective in its management.
9. Best practices
Tools and Techniques of Managing a Medium-Scale Engineering Project
Attempting to run a project without the proper project management tools and techniques is
like trying to correctly put together a tool with lots of disconnected parts without the aid the
product’s instruction manual. Engineering projects most often than not involve a lot of
interdependent and interconnected tasks, ergo engineers need to set up predominantly acceptable
instructions that serve as guidelines when rolling over new projects. Project management tools
and techniques come in handy especially for engineering tasks with different possible outcomes
and where there are risks of encountering failures and problems, ergo, project managers require
skills in organizing resources and activities and planning and assessing options in order to

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achieve successful results (Babcock, D., & Murthy, M., 2014). According to the survey, the
project management processes outlined below have proved to yield successful results;
i) Precise project specification – also known as ‘terms of reference,' project
specification involves agreeing on a precise and fact-based description of the goals
aimed to be achieved, benchmarks and flexibilities involved regarding scope, sources,
parameters, outputs, range and timescales (Lock, 2014).
ii) Project planning - this entails arranging the sundry stages and activities in the
project. Involving the whole team in brainstorming for ideas can be helpful. One
utilitarian tip is thinking back from the end product and determining things needed for
different stages then working your way back to the end. Fishbone diagrams come in
handy at this stage as they help in figuring out missed items (De Roo, G., & Porter,
G., 2016).
iii) Communicating project plan to team – this involves keeping the team in the loop
about the project and is essential in obtaining the necessary agreement, commitment,
and support in the project
iv) Delegating project actions – persons responsible for each activity should be
identified during the planning process. With the help of the SMART acronym, project
managers can ensure that only the right individuals are delegated for project actions
(Sims, R., & Quatro, S., 2015). If some duties are allocated to groups, the Jamari
Window Model can aid in reviewing the framework for group activities.
v) Review project performance – this involves checking and measuring the progress of
project activities against the original master plan. It aids the project managers and

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planners in regularly reviewing the project's performance and adjusting the plan
where necessary (Schwalbe, 2015).
vi) Project completion – at the end of the project, a review meeting should be held to
assess the whole process. A report should be written detailing the reflected successes
and failures and making observations and recommendations.
vii) Follow up – this stage is crucial, especially if the project has relatively low visibility
and meaning to stakeholders, as it involves a follow-up to measure the project’s
viability and efficiency.
Main challenges faced
Poor profitability and productivity
This is the worst challenge facing the construction industry in Australia. The limitations
to entry into the construction business are currently low hence creating a flooded market with
fierce competition. The heavy competition dwindles down profit margins thus curbing crucial
reinvestment in advancing business practices. Aztec stays afloat by maintaining fair rates on
services offered with no compromise on product quality.
Project performance
Project complexity increases proportionally to the growth of opportunities in the
construction industry. Sudden necessary changes to the production system could wipe out profits
for the entire organizations as companies are already struggling with thin profit margins. We try
to always stay ahead of the game by having a resource information technology department.
Shortage of skilled labor

ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT 25
Surveys conducted have shown that 75% of managers in national engineering companies
and organization feel that there is an acute shortage of skilled construction personnel such as
engineers, supervisors, and estimators. There seems to be a rift the old generation of engineers
that is gradually fading away and the new boom of millennial engineers that some feel is not
adequately experienced. Aztec has ‘old generation' experts who work hand in hand with the
younger professionals in coaching them on the values of great performance.

ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT 26
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Appendix
The Human Resource of Aztec Engineering Company: Joanna Hewlett.
Contact: Telephone: [phone]