Solent University: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme

This case study critically reviews the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme, a project undertaken to improve infrastructure and reduce journey times. It examines the role of project management in delivering organizational strategy, focusing on stakeholder management using Mendelow's Matrix, risk management employing a risk management matrix, and problem-solving strategies for issues like local residency concerns and wildlife impact. The study identifies effective project management factors such as an effective project manager, integrated delivery through the A14 Integrated Delivery Team (IDT), and the utilization of technology. The analysis covers the project management process from initiation to closing, highlighting the importance of each stage and the contributions of internal and external stakeholders in achieving project goals.

1A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon
improvement scheme

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
The role of project management in delivering organizational strategy:......................................3
Stakeholder management:............................................................................................................5
Risk management:........................................................................................................................6
Problem solving and decision-making:........................................................................................6
The success factor that contributed in effective project management:........................................7
Recommendations:.......................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Project management means planning and organizing resources to complete a specific
task, event or project. Project management is wide term which include personnel management,
technology management and intellectual property management (Eskerod and Jepsen, 2016). This
study is based on A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme, this scheme was
introduce to create major bypass from south of Huntingdon. This report will discuss project
management tools and techniques in delivering organizational strategy. Later this report will
discuss the process of project management. Later this report will discuss three topics and their
effectiveness. At last this report will recommend which factor contributed the most effectively in
the project management.
MAIN BODY
The role of project management in delivering organizational strategy:
Project management means managing activities which include planning and utilizing
resource to complete a project, these projects are related to business operations or any other
external operations (Fewings and Henjewele, 2019). The word project management is also
related to the field of construction and engineering because every construction project is
incomplete without proper management. Every project need a process which can segregate the
main steps, these step start from planning, initiation, execution, monitoring and closing. It is very
clear that every project whether small or large need budget and time, before starting any project
budget is already being decided and time are provided to the project management team, within
the time frame these team have to complete the given project. There are certain type of project
management methodologies and techniques which help business organization in delivering
organizational strategy, these tools and techniques include:
Waterfall project management: waterfall project management means one project need to be
completed before starting another one, these techniques of project management allow business
organization to manage all their project without any confusion and overloading the stakeholder
and worker (Andrei, et.al., 2019). Waterfall project management techniques is best used when
business try to plan short term business strategy which easily can be completed in given budget
and time frame, it is very clear that these short term project need to be completed before starting
any other new project because this help business organization to achieve overall one long term

strategy. Waterfall techniques are best in completing smaller task in the achievement of overall
larger task.
Lean project management: lean project management means managing project in such a manner
that company's resource are less likely to waste, these techniques can save both time and
resource. Many business organization adopt lean project management in their manufacturing and
production process, they try to provide lean company's resources to the process (Ansah,
Sorooshian and Mustafa, 2016). Lean means minimum amount of usage of material, equipment
and labour, it is very clear that every manufacturing process create huge waste which impact the
cost of the project. To avoid any such waste or three 'M' which include (muda, muri and mura).
This mainly used by those organizations who want to focus on delivering customer value with
less usage and wastage of company's resource in the project management process.
Project management process:
Project management process also known as project life cycle, this cycle start from
initiation stage and end it at closing stage. This process provide completed guide to the business
organization in relation to the project management (Heagney, 2016). Project management cycle
include initiating stage, planning stage, executing stage, monitoring stage and closing stage.
Without this cycle every project might face certain issue and even can result in overall failure of
the project. This cycle is one of the most important process, these cycle include are:
Initiating stage: initiating stage is starting stage of the project, in this stage business
organization try to provide vision of the project and why project is being developed. It is very
clear that every project have vision, without vision a business simply tend to waste their resource
such as time, affords and budget. Sanctioning of stakeholder are very important in this stage.
Planning stage: after providing vision to the stakeholder and understanding the initiating stage,
the next stage is planning. Without planning no project can be completed successfully, planning
stage may include setting budget, involving other stakeholders, scope, risk and waste
management and breakdown structure. Planning provide blueprint to the project management
team to stay clear throughout the process.
Execution stage: after initiating and planning stage, the next stage is the most important one
because this stage start the whole project management process. Execution means carrying out the
entire plan and putting it into action. Execution is the stage where the time start which pressure
project management team to accomplish vision of the organizational project.

Monitoring stage: monitoring and controlling the wheel of project is very important, after
execution stage next stage is also crucial which means a business need to monitoring the
progress of the project, in this stage project management team can monitor each and every step
of the process and can bring certain improvement in the process.
Closing phase: closing stage means the final stage where the stakeholder and project
management team try to examine and analyse outcome of the project. This stage is essential
because it provides clear understanding whether the next project will be effective or not.
Stakeholder of the company make further resource decision after this stage regarding project
management process in the business organization.
Stakeholder management:
Stakeholder plays vital role in the project management process, without stakeholder,
project can not be completed. Every project has two type of stakeholders, first the internal
stakeholder which include investor, employee and other and second is external stakeholder
which include customer, suppliers and other (Zwikael, 2016). A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon
improvement scheme have variety of stakeholder and each of these stakeholders impact the
smooth flow of the process. This project use Mendelow's Matrix to understand the stakeholder
and their power in this construction project, these stakeholders model are:
Minimal effort: this type of stakeholder are not interested in intended project, and they do not
have much power, their involvement in the process have low impact. In A14 Cambridge to
Huntingdon improvement scheme, this type of stakeholder are construction worker of the project
who are not interested decision-making process because they have less power.
Keep informed: this type stakeholder have high interest but lower power, but they can impact
the project management process. In A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme, this
type of stakeholder are people who tend to use these bypass main road for their transportation.
Keeping satisfied: these type of stakeholder have high power but low interest, they can heavily
influence the process, but they do not like to participate in it. In the case of A14 Cambridge to
Huntingdon improvement scheme, this type of stakeholders are suppliers who tend to provide
raw material to the project have great power, but they do not interfere in the process.
Key players: these type of stakeholder have high power and high interest in the project, they can
influence the project in both positive and negative way. A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon
improvement scheme greatly get influenced with these type of stakeholder, key player in this

project include local residency and government. They have negative impact on this project
because they do not want air and noise pollution in their backyard.
Risk management:
Risk management is one of the most important factor in every project, it is a process to
planning strategy which can keep the project safe from any risk that might occur before, during
and after the project. Risk is the biggest barrier in the process to ensure project remain safe
project management team build certain strategy to bypass or overcome these risk factor. Risk
management have two major important part such as planning and implementing (Meng and
Boyd, 2017). A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme, have certain risk associated
with them. This project face risk of destroying historical site and artefact, to ensure that historical
sites and artefact remain safe this project have reached VGC group to train their worker to
maintain value of these artefacts.
The project of A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme, minimize risk using
risk management matrix. Risk management matrix allow management team to analyse potential
risk in the project which means identifying and comparing the occurrence of risk during the
business process. In this matrix risk is being identified and divided according to the impact of
risk on the process, for example some risks are very high in impact which can bring down the
whole process and can become reason of overall failure of the project (Meyer and Reniers,
2016). Project management team of A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme, use
risk matrix to analyse the impact of risk in the project process.
Problem solving and decision-making:
Problem solving is essential step in the process, every problem need a solution which
means decision of stakeholder and management team need to be analysed in the process. There
are two type of problem 'fix it' and 'do it', fix it process means short term goal in solving the
problem which occur in the process whereas do it refers to long term goal. It is very clear that
every project face problem throughout the process, these problems are both small and large (Van
Aken and Berends, 2018). Small problem do not greatly affected the project whereas large
problem like lack of resource including budge and raw material. In the life cycle of A14
Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme, problem have kept arriving and impacting the
smooth flow of the process. There are certain problems faced by A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon
improvement scheme, these are:

Local residency: Major problem such as involvement of local residency which denying to build
bypass near they house, they started to run various program such as NIMBY (not in my
backyard), these type of problem have kept arrive in the process. Stakeholder of the scheme have
developed various strategy to manage these problems and to foster decision for the same.
Government who are major stakeholder of the project came to solve the problem and provide
solution for the problem.
Wide life: wild life in nearby area of A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon have great wild life which
was having from this planned construction. Before starting the project of A14 Cambridge to
Huntingdon improvement scheme, project management team have done research to identify
species in the area and provide solution for this problem. Stakeholder took decision to secure the
wild life.
The success factor that contributed in effective project management:
Effective project manager: every project need a leader who can effectively lead and manager
the contribution of worker in the project, the manager and their skills play vital role in the
success of the project (San Cristóbal, 2017). The manager not only handle their worker, but they
also overlook at the project and identify the barrier which are arriving the process. The project
manager of A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme provide effective management
to the project, they have provided every essential guidance to the worker. This project have faced
various issue such as local residency and wild life, this problem was effectively solved by project
manager. This factor majorly contributed in the effective management.
Integrated delivery: integrated deliver was one of the most effective factor in success of A14
Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme, the A14 Integrated Delivery Team (IDT)
manage the whole project and help stakeholder to accomplish this project goal. This team has
collaborated with Highway England to manage the project together and effectively, the IDT
delivered that completed project early before deadline. This was possible because Integrated
Delivery Team made is possible in A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme. This
project was successfully completed with the help of project management.
Technology: every project need fuel of technology, these bring easiness in the project.
Technology plays vital role in the process without technology, a project might face certain issue
and even can result in failure of the project (Meredith, Shafer and Mantel 2017). The project of
A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme was become successful because of

technology which were used in, this project have used both hardware and software technology in
the process. Hardware technology include heavy machinery, industrial equipment, construction
equipment and tools and equipment. These are some of the most important technology which
made the project possible whereas software technology include IT, and schedule management
system help project to complete it in smooth manner.
WHS: workplace health and safety policy and procedures is one of the most important factor
which was taken in consideration before, during and after the project. WHS policy make easy for
organization to stay safe from any kind of safety related issue and problem, some project like
A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme compulsory need to follow the guidelines
of WHS in their process (Levy, 2018). This help them to maintain workplace health and safety of
worker who tend to perform dangerous work in the project, this factor has become one of the
most effective element in the project management.
Innovation: innovation is one of the most important thing in the project, without innovation a
project might be successful but can not be innovative to deliver futuristic concept. Innovation
was one of the factor which was lacking behind in the project of the A14 Cambridge to
Huntingdon improvement scheme, it is very clear that this project was successful but at some
point innovation was lacking, this project have used old type of technology which impacted the
innovation in the project, they need to have something innovative to win the requirement of
stakeholders. This project only lack at one part although this has completed successfully with the
help of project management.
Recommendations:
More budget: this recommendation is being provided to up coming future project to add more
budget in their process, it is very clear that project the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon
improvement scheme was successful in terms of budgeting. This project have meet all the
requirement and even saved some surplus money, lack of budget can lead to become barrier in
the process and even can become reason to failure. It is recommended for next up coming project
which are related to construction, they need to have more budget because after the COVID-19
pandemic, the price of raw material tend to increase rapidly which have become a major issue.
Next projetc will going to face issue related to lack of budget, so planing budget in advance in
the key to success for future project.

CONCLUSION
This report have discussed project management and understand why project management
is very important in business organization and even in other external project such as construction
and engineering. Later this report have discussed project management tools, techniques and
process and understand its importance in organizational strategy. Later this report have discussed
three factors of case study which include stakeholder management, this was analysed with the
help of Mendelow Matrix. Whereas another factor was risk management and problem solving
and decision-making. At last, we have discussed factors contributed to effective project
management and provided recommendation for next project.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Andrei, et.al., 2019. A study on using waterfall and agile methods in software project
management. Journal Of Information Systems & Operations Management, pp.125-135.
Ansah, R.H., Sorooshian, S. and Mustafa, S.B., 2016. Lean construction: an effective approach
for project management. ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 11(3),
pp.1607-1612.
Eskerod, P. and Jepsen, A.L., 2016. Project stakeholder management. Routledge.
Fewings, P. and Henjewele, C., 2019. Construction project management: an integrated approach.
Routledge.
Heagney, J., 2016. Fundamentals of project management. Amacom.
Levy, S.M., 2018. Project management in construction. McGraw-Hill Education.
Meng, X. and Boyd, P., 2017. The role of the project manager in relationship
management. International Journal of Project Management, 35(5), pp.717-728.
Meredith, J.R., Shafer, S.M. and Mantel Jr, S.J., 2017. Project management: a strategic
managerial approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Meyer, T. and Reniers, G., 2016. Engineering risk management. De Gruyter.
San Cristóbal, J.R., 2017. Complexity in project management. Procedia Computer Science, 121,
pp.762-766.
Van Aken, J.E. and Berends, H., 2018. Problem solving in organizations. Cambridge university
press.
Zwikael, O., 2016. International journal of project management special issue on “project benefit
management”.
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