How NOT to Manage a Project: Conflict Management Lessons Learned from a DOD Case Study

Abstract

This is a case study of a failed Department of Defense (DOD) project, even though it was fully justified and badly needed. Project management within the DOD is a complicated process. Projects are beset by the agenda of various stakeholders within the DOD organizational structure. When this occurs, strong project management leadership is necessary for success. This paper analyzes the potential causes of the project failure resulting from the three domains of organizational conflict, and identifies lessons learned from the failure via a conflict management perspective. Lessons learned are presented to facilitate the management of interpersonal-based, task-based, and process-based conflicts on the part of project managers and project sponsors, thus increasing the likelihood of successful project management outcomes. This case study fills a void in the project management literature by examining the relationship between the three dimensions of organization conflict and the increase in various project costs, and then offering a Project-Conflict Management Framework.

Client Project Time Schedule Controls — An Empirically-Based System Dynamics Conceptual Model

“…Different project participants have different objectives [5] and competing expectations [6] during project execution. They therefore naturally tend to take different control actions to try to influence the project execution so that it is in line with their objectives and expectations, as indicated by Lyneis and Ford [7], and Sutterfield et al [8]. Key project stakeholders during the design part of project execution include the client and the engineering consultant.…”

“…Different project participants have different objectives [5] and competing expectations [6] during project execution. They therefore tend to take different control actions to try to influence project execution so that it is in line with their interests, as highlighted by Lyneis and Ford [7], and Sutterfield, Friday-Stroud and Shivers-Blackwell [8]. However, the well-intentioned decisions and control actions ('project controls') of the project participants often generate some undesirable and unintended consequences (ripple and knock-on effects) that militate against the intended effects, as highlighted by Lyneis and Ford [7].…”

Building Hongqiao Integrated Transport Hub to Serve Regional Economy

“…By estimation passengers getting into the hub through those four (4) cross roads would respectively take 19%, 30%, 19% and 22%. According to the passing volume predicted, 18 vehicle lanes would be required, but we plan to build 24 lanes [15] .…”

Conflict Analysis for Project and Maturity Management

“…"…Completion of projects may require several years, and they can be difficult to manage under the best of circumstances. If organizational conflict is superimposed upon the normal project management difficulties, successful project outcomes are rendered immensely more difficult…" (Sutterfield, et. al., 2007).…”

“…DAAAM INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC BOOK 2014 pp. 577-584 Chapter 46 "…Process-based conflict deals with tension that stems from how tasks should be completed…" (Sutterfield, et. al., 2007).…”