Title: Journal Article Evaluation By John Constance, Candidate - Masters in Project Management for Construction & Infrastructure Introduction

This is an analysis of the article The benchmarking of project planning and success in selected industries. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 13 (6), pp. 688700 by Swikael, O. & Globerson, S. (2006) in order to use their results as a benchmark for improving project planning in the industry in which I work or in an industry with which I am familiar . This will be done by addressing task duration estimates, resource and cost allocation, and how the degree of accuracy of these estimates is linked to project success. Journal Article: Analysis The introduction provided sufficient background of the authors prior knowledge of the topic. Also, the information required for the research question was relevant. Information from experts from leadership schools and project management literature was sufficient to prompt the conduct of the research. The hypothesis is explicitly stating what the authors hope to study and achieve. The aim of the research is stuck in the theory project managers leadership style influences project success or is different to a particular situation (Ralf Muller & J. Rodney Turner, 2007). The assumptions of the authors are warranted owing to the theories, disciplines and methods documented by scholars including Turner, Frame, Confucius, Aristotle, Keegan, Den Hartog, Dulewicz, Higgs, Goldman, Lee-kelly, Leong, Crawford, Dainty, etc. The research design method aimed to find the differences and relationship of the hypothesis by analysing the views of scholars on leadership and project management literature and also interviews of 14 line managers assigning project managers to projects. Although interviewees were limited, this was backed with a web-based questionnaire responded by 300,000 people around the world. The participants recruited avoided selection bias in the design. The detailed analysis and results made the authors to conclude that, emotional competence of project managers influences project success (Ralf Muller & J. Rodney Turner, 2007). MQ or managerial competence contributes significantly to project success (Ralf Muller & J. Rodney Turner, 2007), and intellectual competence negatively show a relationship to project success (Ralf Muller & J. Rodney Turner, 2007).

Conclusion: Reading from David I. Cleland and Lewis R. Ireland from their book Project Management Strategic Design and Implementation, 4th ed. 2007, also backs the result that project managers emotional competence is important in project success. y y y y y Leadership at all levels of the enterprise determines which project fails or succeed (pp 386) Project leader develop the vision of the project (pp 386) Project leader provides the encouragement and stimulus for project success (pp 386) Leadership styles bears on the project at all levels of the enterprise (pp 386) Leadership competence are critical to the success of any organization(pp 386)

I worked in Liberia during the 2005 resettlement of Returnees to Liberia. The type of project used at the time by the UNHCR and government was Quick Impact Projects (QIP). For returning refugees to remain in their villages, roads, school, clinic, water, food and security must be provided quickly as possible. This project type required a manager that understood the difference between long-term and quick impact projects. However, because of his vast experience in sustainable project type, he demanded projects be detailed by all means. This made project initiation, planning and execution intensive and long. Decisions and approvals were slow to come. Projects to villages were behind schedule, and Returnees left their villages. The project became a failure. Project team members became unmotivated and resign. One of the leadership traits possessed by project managers but considered as unimportant and possible detrimental to the success of the project is Strategic Perspective and Vision. I agree that, although it is important project managers understand the link between project goals and their organizations strategic goal, they must focus on project tasks and objectives to achieve success. In my work I have gone through several workshops and training to understand the programs objective and how it is achieved. However, if this was to continue I believe me and my team would lose track of our engineering objectives of cost, schedule and technical performance which is the indicator of our success. The project strategic vision and goal as well as the project management should be handled by alternative teams or project management office.

Bibliography
Matching the project managers leadership style to project type by Ralf Muller & J. Rodney Turner, 2007 Project Management Strategic Design and Implementation, 4th ed. By David I. Cleland and Lewis R. Ireland, 2007