Project Management Case Study: Analysis of the London Olympics 2012

This report presents a comprehensive case study of the London Olympics 2012, examining the project's description, strategic alignment, and the pivotal role of innovation and collaboration in its successful delivery. It delves into the strategic alignment of the project, detailing the decision-making processes and the challenges encountered, such as supply chain management and travel route issues, and how they were addressed. The report highlights the innovation strategies adopted, including the integration of ICT infrastructure and marketing tactics. It also explores the importance of stakeholder management, collaboration among teams, and the overall governance/environment of the project. The report emphasizes the benefits, such as increased job opportunities and economic growth, and analyzes the decision-making processes, including budget management, that contributed to the project's success. The report concludes by underscoring the importance of innovation and collaboration in project management within the context of large-scale events like the Olympics, providing a valuable resource for students studying project management.

Case Studies in Project
Management

Contents
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................3
Project description of London Olympics, 2012.......................................................................................3
Strategic alignment of London Olympics 2012.......................................................................................4
The role of innovation and collaboration in successful delivery of London Olympics 2012...................7
Innovation process, procedures and strategies adopted for the development of London Olympics 2012 8
Initiatives adopted for supporting team collaboration during London Olympics 2012............................9
CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................12
Books and Journal.................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Olympics can be characterised as one of the most celebrated sports events across the globe.
Various nations from all across the world participate and facilitate their presence within the
respective event. The Olympics aims to raise the standards of sports environment by designing
various competitions through which countries can compete with each other in order to win
multiple competitions and acquire the most prominent position in the same (Lovett, Bloyce and
Smith, 2020) (Gérard, et.al, 2020) . The Olympics 2012 can be stated as one of the most
successful sports events in the history of United Kingdom. The proposed project report reflects
upon the project description of London Olympics 2012. It discusses the strategic alignment of
the respective project as well as the decision making attributes that facilitated the success of the
same. It also tends to identify the challenges faced during the project implementation as well as
the necessary steps taken in order to eliminate the same. The project report also reflects upon the
role and necessity of innovation and collaboration in leading the successful event of London
Olympics 2012. It also provides a detailed description about the innovation strategies adopted by
London Olympics 2012 project management staff in order to lead the operations in a creative and
productive manner. The respective report highlight upon the initiatives taken into consideration
in order to support the collaboration of teams and groups involved in the respective project
Project description of London Olympics, 2012
The London Olympics 2012 were organised in the beautiful city London, United Kingdom from
27th of July till 12th of August 2012 (Kokolakakis and Lera-Lopez, 2020). In order to facilitate
the arrangement for project operations of London Olympics 2012, London organising committee
of the Olympic games was formulated in order to overview the process involved in the
formulation of the games and implement the same in an appropriate and effective manner.
Olympic delivery authority was given the responsibility for the construction of the respective
venues as well as the prolific infrastructure for the London Olympics 2012. The ruling
government of London also incorporated the Government Olympic executive which can be
termed as a systematic unit responsible for focusing upon the regulation of games, and
management of cross cultural programme that will facilitate the necessary benefits to the city as
well as the United Kingdom at the border aspect. The respective project was conducted on a very

large scale as the event involved the participation of various powerful and leading nations across
the world. Huge investments were taken under consideration in respect to construction,
infrastructure, maintenance cost, resource expenditure, labour management, etc. in order to build
an advance and brilliant project that can elevate the standard of existing sports events and live up
to the expectations of the sports enthusiast and professionals across the globe.
Stakeholders
The staff members and volunteers who contributed their efforts and time towards the success of
the event can be termed as the potential stakeholders for the London Olympics 2012. The
government of United Kingdom is also one of the leading stakeholders for the respective project.
The individuals involved in the national committees as well as Olympic committees can also be
termed as the relevant stakeholders for the given project. Moreover the numerous sports
federations, international as well as national investors and sponsors, media channels, public
relations etc. are also few of the important stakeholders for the respective project event.
Strategic alignment of London Olympics 2012
Programme
In order to execute large scale sports events such as London Olympic 2012, it becomes very
necessary for the organising committee to ensure that their preparation as well as the
implementation phase is in accordance with the sustainable strategies that needs to be
incorporated for the functioning of all the major processes and activities include in the respective
project. London Olympics 2012 was programmed in a manner that it was able to integrate with
the existing environment, social aspects and dimensions, public. The major concentration and
excessive focus was led upon building and constructing the venue and events of London
Olympics 2012 in a manner that it can provide the management with prolonged efficiency as
well as sustainability so as to last appropriately from the commencement of the event till the
completion of the same (Whigham and Black, 2020). The organising committee led numerous
procedures and policies for the establishment of London Olympics 2012 which promoted the
necessity for organisation in context to systemisation, coordination, resource management,
sustainability, support management, reliability, risk management, audience and participant

management etc. Competence and productivity can be characterised as the most integral element
which is necessary for executing a program in an effective manner especially within sports
industry.
Benefit management
London Olympics 2012 helped to increase the job opportunities in London and also assisted in
enhancing the economic environment of the same. The tourism and travel industry of London
also encouraged due to the contribution of Olympics 2012 within the concerned city of United
Kingdom. Post London Olympics 2012, the city reported huge percentage hike in the Travel and
tourism dimension which also contributed in uplifting the economy of the city as well. The
honour as well as the prestige of the country also increased after the organisation of Olympics in
London in the year 2012. Therefore it can be stated that London Olympic 2012 proved to be very
beneficial for the United Kingdom as it helps to create various business and development
opportunity for the respective country.
Governance/environment
The project of London Olympics 2012 was facilitated with least amount harmful resources in
order to provide no destruction to the environment during the process of construction. The
project management staff focused upon leading the project towards value optimisation. It can be
said that 97 to 98% of the resource material capitalised for the construction of London Olympics
2012 was acquired through demolished buildings and infrastructure in UK (Jastrząbek, 2020). In
London Olympics 2012, various innovative components of such as the preparation of the
Olympic village was taken into consideration in order to enhance the attractiveness of the
concerned project. After the completion of the event, the respective Olympic Village was sold
out to the citizens of United Kingdom at affordable price structure in order to provide them with
an opportunity to have their own home. Overall, it can be said that the respective event was
regulated in an appropriate way as it helps to uplift the environment as well as incorporate all the
governing policies that are needed to in order to achieve success in the given environment.

Decision- making
In order to lead the project of London Olympics 2012, numerous important decisions were
needed to be undertaken so as to facilitate appropriate decisions that can provide excessive
advantages to the project and benefit the same to the maximum extent. For instance, the approx
budget that was facilitated for the execution of the entire London Olympic 2012 project was
stated as approximately £9.3 billion. However, with the right decision making strategies and
action plans the committee was able to execute the project in less expense as compared to the
one estimated in the predetermined expenditure and budget. Challenges associated with London
Olympics 2012 and how they were addressed. The former can be marked as a benefit derived
from the regulation of effective and optimum decision making capabilities at the end of the
project committee.
Challenges faced during London Olympics 2012 and how they were addressed
One of the major challenges that emerged during the process of project management in London
Olympic 2012 can be considered to be the determination and facilitation of supply chain process
and procurement management for the implementation of the operations designed for London
Olympics 2012. In order to solve the concerned issue related to the implementation of the supply
management operation, an estimate of 8000 and more contracting opportunities were generated
with the assistance and contribution of Olympic delivery authority in order to ensure that there is
an adequate supply chain management regulated for the concerned project (Williams, 2020).
The issue relating to the adverse conditions of the travel routes can also be stated as one of the
major issues faced during the facilitation of London Olympics 2012. The fact that busy roads and
heavy traffic on the travel route to the venue led to delay in the arrival of the participants,
audience and other individuals to the games and event. In order to overcome this challenge,
various efforts were undertaken by organising committee such as facilitation of new routes,
increment in travel support and arrangement etc.

The role of innovation and collaboration in successful delivery of London Olympics 2012
Innovation and creativity contributes in the acceleration of the project operations and activities.
Preparation and planning of the large scale events require the organising committee to look upon
the various ways through which they can add innovative elements and creative measures so as to
attract more and more audience towards the event. Collaboration is a very integral and necessary
component that needs to b facilitated in a prominent mechanism so as to ensure that very
department within the project process is aligned and coordinated with each other. Collaboration
provides the required assistance in the maintained of coordination within the functional units in
regard with the project plan.
Incorporation of ICT infrastructure was the main objective of the organising committee in order
to regulate consistent innovation which can enhance the standard of infrastructure capability in
the respective event. Numerous innovation measures such as technical infrastructure,
digitalisation, social media platforms etc. were resourcefully optimised in order to facilitate the
development of the venue as well as infrastructure associated with the preparation of London
Olympics 2012. Marketing attributes and tactics were also very beneficial for the respective
event as it helps to market the event in a very strategically manner (Stritt, 2020). Innovation was
integrated with the marketing so as to provide effectiveness as well as productivity in the process
of marketing so as to facilitate an increment in regard with the Customers and other stakeholders
of the concerned event.
The committee responsible for the arrangement of London Olympics 2012 collaborated with
media houses, social media experts, digital marketing companies, telecommunication companies,
infrastructural enterprises etc. In order to lead the event activities and process in a systematic
and appropriate manner. The volunteers and staff members delegated for facilitating the
operations of the event in a considerable were required to lead their respective operation in
collaboration with their other peer volunteers so as to achieve maximum productivity through
their respective process (Brown and Pappous, 2020). Numerous departments were formulated so
as to reduce the implications and misunderstanding within the volunteers and staff members and
promote flexibility and understand ability within the same. Every procedure in the event needed
to be completed with collaborative effort and cooperation of all the parties and stakeholders

involved in the respective process. Every department was responsible to conduct their respective
activities in a fully coordinated manner so as to encourage reliability and interdependency among
the same.
Innovation process, procedures and strategies adopted for the development of London Olympics
2012
Innovative strategies can be characterised as the potential strategy that provide assistance to the
institution and organisation to apply creative and innovative measures to the existing level of
operation. The respective strategy assess the institution to add uniqueness and specifications to
their operation in order to raise the existing bar within the concerned society and provide
something innovative and new within the same. In the particular sports industry, there are several
events organised every year. The London Olympics 2012 was one of the events that was known
to be popular and profitable due to its innovative agendas and procedures that helped to derive
and attract maximum leverage and benefits through its execution. The organisation committee of
London Olympics 2012 relied upon various new interventions and measures that were not
introduced before within the field of Olympic. The respective Olympics introduce the excessive
capitalisation of marketing communications in order to ensure that every individual from largest
to smallest part of the world is able to have the necessary access the event. The venue of the
respective event was created in a very innovative manner. Various creative concepts were
incorporated in the venue in order to please the audience and provide the best facilities to the
participants during the course of the event in the city of London. The structure of the event was
strategically placed and innovation was also integrated within the same so as to ensure that every
particular activity of the event is unique and different from what people have seen before as well.
In the 2012 London Olympics, several digital platforms were taken into consideration by the
organising committee in order to utilise the work provided by the same so as to optimise the
event to the best possibility. Various forms of data applications and platforms were incorporated
in order to communicate the data and information related to the event to the prospective
interested individuals across the world (Dubinsky, 2020). The respective innovation in the sports
industry helps to process the event updates and information in an efficient manner to the millions
of individuals. Innovation practises and procedure for the implementation of London Olympics
2012 involved the utilisation of communication channels through which the event could be

accessible to the other individuals living in various parts of the world. Availability of media
channels facilitated a very efficient and effective contribution to which the necessary messages
can be transmitted and delivered with the capitalisation of newspapers television channels, radio
post etc. Through the optimisation of these sources the event reach was maximised as well. In
order to lead innovation within the project of London Olympics 2012, platform technology
within the telecommunication industry was taken into consideration. It can be stated that London
Olympics 2012 were supremely successful and were able to capture the eye of millions across
the globe due to the application of innovation and creativity within the infrastructural as well as
operational attributes of the same.
Initiatives adopted for supporting team collaboration during London Olympics 2012
Team collaboration can be termed as a significant component that is responsible for increasing
the productiveness and team coordination within a particular setting or an event of operation. In
order to promote team collaboration in London Olympics 2012, several prominent initiatives
were taken into the consideration by the committee so as to ensure that every staff or volunteer is
in accordance with the objective and goal of the event. While preparing for London Olympics
2012, the management committee tablets various teams according to the diverse department of
operation within the event. Every team was delegated with prominent tasks and targets which
were necessary to be achieved by them collectively through coordination and cooperation in
order to lead towards the final outcome of the event.
A positive and optimistic working environment was regulated within the event setting so as to
ensure that every given volunteer feels included and engaged within the process of execution and
does not feel isolated or disinterested during the course of the event. Effective motivation and
confidence was inculcated within the volunteers and staff members so as to extract the best
possible performances from the same (Shipway, Ritchie and Chien, 2020). Open communication
was promoted within the event setting of London Olympics 2012 and honest opinions were taken
into consideration so as to improve the existing operations to the maximum extent and ensure
that recommendations and feedbacks from the volunteers are taken into consideration for the
betterment of the overall project.

The existing knowledge regarding the London Olympics 2012 event such as internal insights as
well as the available resources was shared with the formulated teams in order to provide them
with an overview of the existing potential. The objective behind the same was to allow them to
collaborate with each other so as to increase the potential to accomplish the goal of maximum
value generation to the project. In order to manage collaboration and teamwork, it is very
important for the management committee to appoint the competent and responsible leaders who
can take the charge for an entire group of volunteers and guide the same in an effective
manner .This helped to generate a valuable asset for the event and maximum advantage was
extracted from the same.
During London events 2012, investment was facilitated towards the acquisition of collaboration
tools such as walkie-talkies, speakers, mix etc. so as to ensure that flexible and immediate
communication interaction can be exercised within the event setting. The respective initiative
helped the event committee to promote collaborative work among the volunteers and healthy
same to engage with each other in a situation of conflict with greater efficiency. The initiatives
related to the collaboration purpose were proved to be fruitful for the event and various benefits
and perks were drawn from the same in a constant manner.
It can be said that in case of London Olympics 2012, team collaboration was one of the essential
attributes that helps the committee responsible for managing and regulating the event to execute
the event operation with collaboration and participation of all the staff members and volunteers
in an accurate and persistent manner.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion, it can be evaluated that the construction project of London Olympics
2012 was facilitated at a very large magnitude and consists of several inter-connected complex
activities. Strategic alignments were taken into consideration for the regulation of the entire
concept behind the venue as well as construction of the respective project. The concerned project
of London Olympics 2012 facilitated very prominent benefits to the economy of United
Kingdom and alleviated the employment and services opportunities for the same. It can be stated
that one of the key factors that contributed in the victorious completion of the event can be

termed as innovation mobility and collaborative practices exercised within the respective sports
event.

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Lovett, E., Bloyce, D. and Smith, A., 2020. Delivering a sports participation legacy from the
London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games: evidence from sport development workers in
Birmingham and their experiences of a double-bind. Leisure Studies, 39(5), pp.659-672.
Gérard, S., Brittain, I., Jones, A. and Thomas, G., 2020. The impact of austerity on the London
2012 Summer Olympics participation legacy from a grassroots sports club perspective: an
institutional logics approach. Leisure Studies, 39(5), pp.629-643.
Kokolakakis, T. and Lera-Lopez, F., 2020. Sport Promotion through Sport Mega-Events. An
Analysis for Types of Olympic Sports in London 2012. International Journal of Environmental
Research and Public Health, 17(17), p.6193.
Whigham, S. and Black, J., 2020. London 2012, glasgow 2014 and athletes as political symbols–
the precarious positioning of athletes within the evolving contemporary politics of the United
Kingdom. European Journal for Sport and Society, 17(1), pp.47-65.
Jastrząbek, J., 2020. The The Olympic Games and the economic performance of the host city–the
case of London 2012 against selected global cities. Ekonomia Międzynarodowa, (29), pp.22-42.
Williams, H., 2020. Fortifying the city: visualising London 2012. The London Journal, 45(1),
pp.106-122.
Stritt, S., 2020. Has Hosting the London 2012 Olympic Games Changed the German Perception
of Britain?. GRIN Verlag.
Brown, C. and Pappous, A., 2020. Are mega-events a solution to address physical inactivity?
Interrogating the London 2012 Paralympic sport participation legacies among people with
disabilities. European Journal for Sport and Society, pp.1-26.
Dubinsky, Y., 2020. OCOGs and International Media: A Self-Analysis of Covering Beijing
2008, London 2012, and Rio de Janeiro 2016. International Journal of Sport & Society, 11(2).
Shipway, R., Ritchie, B.W. and Chien, P.M., 2020. Beyond the glamour: resident perceptions of
olympic legacies and volunteering intentions. Leisure Studies, 39(2), pp.181-194.