Leadership and Management in Project Teams: A Comparative Case Study

This case study research report aims to enhance the understanding of leadership and management within project teams by examining two distinct cases: a school building project and a multicultural construction project. The analysis focuses on the roles of conflict management and trust development...Read More

AS1 CASE STUDY RESEARCH REPORT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The aim of the study is to escalate understanding of leadership and management of a
project team. For this purpose two case studies are taken where role of conflict management and
trust development in project groups are deciphered. On the basis of the study idea on
management and leadership of the project teams is shared. Analysing the comparative studies of
two projects such as School Project and multicultural project.
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Brief justification.........................................................................................................................3
Critical and comparative analysis................................................................................................4
Recommendations........................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
Management refers to a task of managing some set of activities in for success of an
organization at the same time leadership is ability of a person to motivate, lead, affect, influence
others (Bulturbayevich, 2021) In the project two case studies will be taken and their critical,
comparative analysis would be made in order to assess how they have been led. On the basis of
the comparative study sort of recommendations shall be extended for further improvement. In
this report, it has been selected two projects – new school building, multi-cultural project.
Critically discussed the use of leadership and management concept in two different projects,
identifying their importance. The documentation will focus on the brief idea about the two
different projects and examined the role of leadership or management concepts. These are
usually considered by leader or manager to handle complexity of project in proper manner.
Critically conducting a comparative analysis in which project teams or groups will be leading or
managing the entire project. Analysing the demand of project performance and works practices
drawing range of people management.
MAIN BODY
Brief justification
For fulfilment of the purpose of the study, two different case studies are taken. Both
projects are relevant to the use of leadership as well as management of a project team or group.
The case study of new school building project can be representing the different process and
involves a series of sequential activities. In this project, it involves leadership and management
approach used by different stakeholders, in order to establish a strong coordination, interaction of
finance, architectural design, legal aspects and so on. Each and every procedure are not possible
without use of proper leadership or management approaches. In the context of new school
building project, project team had been cooperating for different members and follow-up the
project completion (Liu, He and Cao, 2021). It is majorly depending on the functionality of
project manager who are using leadership and management approaches to follow different tasks
in step by step manner.
In second project, it is related to the trust development aspect in the construction project
and following a multi-cultural concept. During project execution, it can lead to inception
conflicts among team members at the time of coordination and also directly affecting the entire
performance of project execution tasks. Here sort of management and leadership approaches are
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to be used to establish a better coordination between individual’s (Suchánová, 2019). In the
context of construction projects, it can be applied leadership and management approaches to
build a trust among team members and also resolved any kind of conflicts regarding project
suggestion, agreement.
Critical and comparative analysis
In the project work there are two different projects are taken. The first one is the study of
an organization which is working on a construction project, and it is “School Project”. On the
other hands there are some companies of construction industries are taken in order to assess their
conflict management practices in order to ensure better management and leadership in the entity,
it is “Multicultural project”.
Both the projects are focused to develop better managerial practices and extending strong
leadership to the employees in order to hike their performance on the projects (Pham and Kim,
2019). The area of accentuation for school project organization is totally based on development
of trust in the team members so while conducting such a giant projects of construction where at
the same time a range of activates and operations are getting performed, can ensure better
participation from the team member.
On the other hand, the “Multicultural projects” pay attention to install strong mechanism
of conflict resolution so can satisfy their team members and can make them inclined to work in
the benefit of the team.
The manager of the projects has tried some different tools and practices making their
management efficient and channelize the employees. For instance, School Project manager
decided to ensure better trust development among members so can make their self-ready to
perform such hectic construction tasks (Liu, He and Cao, 2021). The team was engaged in
constructing a school premises so different personnel such as assistant project manager,
engineering manager, construction specialists, procurement engineers were working so there was
strong need of trust building among members.
The management decided early establishment of supportive and integrative working.
All the employees who had experienced to work earlier shared their views as it has been referred
“where the shoe pinches” which means all people know their issues so must be given sufficed
chance. For further accomplishments weekly meetings were arranged so all members can timely
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raise their concerns and for mitigation some actions can be taken on time (Zavari and Afshar,
2021)
In the practice, management also ensured Common philosophy whereby sharing ideas
and experience common understanding can be developed among the members. But there are
some critical points too as the study has shown that if common spirit is developed then only a
strong team performance can be expected otherwise it may bring more troubles. So this has been
the most negative aspect of the practice.
In Multicultural projects the managements decided to accentuate on conflict management
in order to hike the coordination and leadership performance in the organization while
conducting construction projects. For this purpose, cooperative approach has been installed. This
approach has been developed by Deutsh in the year 1990, as per the approach the role of a leader
is to guide the members to achieve cooperative goal, and they give their best in order to ace the
cooperative objectives of the entity. This is the best way since if there is no conflict then the act
of management and leadership would be easier and with the least amount of efforts (Liu, He and
Cao, 2021).
They practice avoiding approach to conflict management, which believes that if there
are some issues then it should not be openly discussed, having fewer concerns about self and
other employees is better to deal with conflicts and it would not give such notions place in the
organization. This is the best approach of management, cause if there is less amount of conflicts
then driving employees for cooperation and better performance is an easier task (Grill, Nielsen,
Grytnes, 2019.)
Some thinkers also shared their critical views on the practice of such conflict
management, they said some people are practising it, because they just want to maintain
relationship with members so it might lead dysfunctional project operations with the progress of
time. On the basis of the conception they cited the practice of management as negatively related
with the effective and high level of coordination.
On the basis of discussion, it has been critically compared the two selected project and
identify that how different team or group have managed or handled the performance of projects.
It can be possible through effectiveness of leadership and management approaches. These are
considering two important factors which is always influenced the individuals to establish a
strong collaboration, coordination between each other’s. Based on the leadership approach, the
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project manager of both projects are gaining more experiences, includes work practices that help
to prevent any kind difficulties. Each and every team member are described the importance of
construction projects and shared experience to prevent critical situation. By using management
style, team member will be participating into discussion meeting and make assessment about all
essential resources, workload (Grill, Nielsen, Grytnes, 2019.). This kind of approach has been
offering the best support for team member and positively handled the work tasks in proper
manner. This can be possible due to the effectiveness of management style and handling every
tasks at end process. On the other hand, leadership style has become useful in both projects such
as new school building, multi-culture, hence team members are freely shared their idea with
manager and prevent any kind of mis-understanding. These kind of process are directly impacts
on the entire projects. The construction projects are becoming complex and required a lot of
essential resources, expertise from different parties (Ninan and Sergeeva, 2021). There is so
much involvement of external as well as internal factors. Without coordination of team or group,
it is difficult to handle the construction project because it may arise unpredictable situation.
Every building project has shown a unique process and expertise that have brought together.
Different stakeholders are representing individual, interest, needs, risks and expectations. So, it is
important to use leadership and management style by team member for achieving desirable
results or outcomes.
On the basis of the practices of managers and leaders it can be concluded that in
construction projects. It would be considered management approach but needs to focus on the
aim, to hike the performance efficiency. For example- The performance indicator in the project
management should be considered the best example of what manager can be handled complex
processes. If in case, it will be increasing the risks or threats of resources so that project manager
will try to create a proper documentation and includes all essential resources, equipment’s. In
order to resolve problem of resources.
Recommendations
On the basis of discussion, it is aligned with two different case studies such as school
building construction and conflict management. In two case studies, it has been identified the
significant role of project teams and applicable to handle complex tasks in proper manner.
 Enable and empower the workforce where it possible- this kind of suggestion can be
used in the construction projects so that it enabled team to use all essential resources,
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gaining more support as they need to perform different tasks (Mora and et.al., 2021). It is
important to empower team members at the time of project execution so that they can
make decisions on the basis of complex situation. While this kind of recommendation can
be considered by team member to identify risks or threats. Further, it will be
implementing strategic idea and continued to find the best possible results or outcomes.
 Creating a flow of interaction and communication- It has been suggested that every
team member will be established a good communication with manager, executives and
supplier. This will help to build a flow of interaction- every stakeholder, supplier can
perform different tasks on the basis of plan. Thus, it is maintaining a smooth process and
minimise situation of conflicts (Woods and et.al., 2021). One of the simple suggestion is
to adapt a smooth communication approach and used by team member and maintain a
flow of communication. This kind of work execution can be done through platform. It
allows to share information regarding changes in the project and interacting with manager
on real time basis.
 Continuously develop a systematic project management skill- during construction
projects, leader or manager will try to hold accurate information but it has been suggested
to conduct training for project management and better way to find understanding of
particular subject matters. It engaged with stakeholders, taking more risks in the
construction projects which has become as great opportunity to enhance skills and
learning a new thing (Grill, Nielsen, Grytnes, 2019.). Most importantly, it is important to
develop a trust among team members and diversified the groups. It is becoming crucial
way to gain and achieve high value in terms of problem-solving.
CONCLUSION
From the report above it can be concluded that in an organization practices of
management and leadership are key essence to ensure success of the entity. For this sake, tow
case studies were taken from construction industry. The first case was School project and another
was a study of some multicultural organization. On the basis of the cases their critical and
comparative evaluation has been presented and sort of rational recommendations were also
extruded in order to suggest path of betterment. On the basis of discussion, it has been examined
the overall findings and performed a comparative analysis, assessing the major implications or
consequences. Discussion on the construction projects and identify the significant role of
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leadership and management in the project teams. It helps to inspire or motivate team members to
find the best results or outcomes.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Bulturbayevich, M. B., 2021, December. LEADERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP IN
MANAGEMENT PSYCHOLOGY. In Conference Zone (pp. 271-276).
Grill, M., Nielsen, K., Grytnes, 2019. The leadership practices of construction site managers and
their influence on occupational safety: an observational study of transformational and
passive/avoidant leadership. Construction management and economics. 37(5). pp.278-
293.
Liu, H., He, Y. and Cao, K., 2021. Flexible Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates: A
Review on Constructions, Applications, and Challenges. Advanced Materials Interfaces.
8(21). p.2100982.
Mora, R. and et.al., 2021. An historical building information modelling approach for the
preventive conservation of historical constructions: Application to the Historical Library
of Salamanca. Automation in Construction. 121. p.103449.
Ninan, J. and Sergeeva, N., 2021. Labyrinth of labels: Narrative constructions of promoters and
protesters in megaprojects. International Journal of Project Management. 39(5).
pp.496-506.
Pham, H. and Kim, S. Y., 2019. The effects of sustainable practices and managers’ leadership
competences on sustainability performance of construction firms. Sustainable
Production and Consumption. 20. pp.1-14.
Suchánová, K., 2019. Specifika vedení a řízení spolupracovníků ve stavebním podniku: The
specifics of leadership and management of personnel in construction company (Doctoral
dissertation, Brno University of Technology).
Woods, P.A. and et.al., 2021. Constructions and purposes of school leadership in the
UK. School Leadership & Management. 41(1-2). pp.152-170.
Zavari, M. and Afshar, M. R., 2021. The role of site manager transformational leadership in the
construction project success. International Journal of Building Pathology and
Adaptation.
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