While projects are now recognized as a means to achieve competitive advantage in Africa, project management still remains a Cinderella field. On average, 8 out of 10 project managers are accidental or have an inadequate project management (PM) knowledge base; PM training is falling short of some fundamental knowledge areas; and organizations which are supposed to be centered on programs and portfolios are, in practice, project-oriented organizations by default. These challenges are referred to in this paper as “PM trilogy challenges.” Results of five research projects are used in this paper to identify and discuss these issues. Finally, recommendations are made.
Purpose Across the African continent many colleges and universities are facing hurdles in sustaining green building initiatives. Often the barriers to green building are not purely financial, they include a significant number of non-financial issues directly connected with the way green building initiatives are integrated within the management of these higher learning institutions (HLIs). The purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons behind widespread barriers and the ways in which the barriers could be overcome through strategic project management. Design/methodology/approach The paper includes a critical review of existing literature on barriers to sustaining green building initiatives and an argument is built on the need to manage these initiatives as projects. Consequently it establishes that there is a seamless connection between HLIs strategies and projects, hence strategic project management as a framework to sustain the green campus culture. Findings Despite numerous barriers facing African HLIs in embracing green campus buildings (GCBs) as part of their permanent business undertakings; this review strongly suggest a change of direction from “traditional approaches” to strategic project management, where all green building initiatives are transformed to programmes and portfolios dealing with sub-sets of the core business of HLIs. Practical implications Strategic decision to include green campus building initiatives (GCBIs) as part of HLIs core strategic business projects will bring permanence in GCB thinking and resources will be allocated to GCBIs and green campus thinking may become a norm and one of the metrics for organization success. Social implications Strategic project as a way to creating a conducive-environment for GCBIs success will become a constant and part of the way in which African HLIs are managed. Originality/value Contemporary management approaches like strategic project management is embraced as mean for allowing under-resourced African HLIs achieving significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainable development is part of the developmental agenda for developed and developing countries both. For developing countries, growth is critical but resource consuming. Therefore, it is important to ensure equitable growth in these countries without degradation of natural and social environment and resources. Sustainable consumption and production both are part of Sustainable Development Goal 12. Mostly countries focus on the production rather than on the consumption, which needs to be changed. South Africa faces challenges of under-consumption in lower income classes and over-consumption in affluent and aspiring middle classes. Examination of institutional actors highlights the gap, which can be filled by social institutions. Social institutions are active and growing in South Africa and were identified suitable to promote sustainable consumption through cooperation, collaboration, and partnerships. This chapter attempts to expand the research agenda to examine the role and potential of social institutions in facilitating sustainable consumption in a developing country like South Africa.
Sustainable development has been identified as a strategic priority for both developed and developing countries. The role of sustainable consumption in addressing challenges of sustainable development is undisputed Developing country context is complex due to simultaneous presence of hyper/over-consumption and under-consumption in different sections of society. Efforts to address sustainable consumption cover initiatives by individual consumers, business sector, governments, education and media institutions. It emerged that addressing sustainable consumption in the current times requires multiplicity of approaches, collaboration of multiple institutions and coordination, synergy and cohesiveness among various institutions. Social institutions were identified perfect fit for the purpose. This chapter intends to establish research agenda to explore possibilities for social institutions in propagating sustainable consumption in India.
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