Definitions:
1. Project
PMI (2004) defines project as “a short-term venture or task set up to bring forth, acquire, develop a special and remarkable service, product or result.
A project is also defined as “a short-term establishment that is required to develop a distinct and specific result at a stipulated time by utilizing preset resources (Prince2Foundation, 2005)”.
According to Steve Alter, a project is a ‘work structure created with the aim of developing a product thereafter, ceases to exist’.
2. Temporary Organisation
A significant and valuable aspect of social and economic activities today is temporary organisation.
Cambre, Bakker & Keith (2009) define temporary organisation as “a system or team of long-term establishment working together
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The first attribute of projects is that they have an explicit, clearly – defined time frame and they are for a fixed time ranging from days to years while the final output may be upheld or continue forever. Thus, this short-term nature of project signifies a specific start and finish. The end of the project is attained when the goals of the project have been accomplished; there is no need for the existence of the project again or non-availability of resources for its continuity and the project is aborted. The second attribute is that each project will not be like other projects, it will be unique in its own way. The third attribute is that as the project advances, the work to be done is gradually specified and more details being …show more content…
Conclusion
In spite of many researches into the topic, it still continued to have divided opinions, thereby yet to satisfy the criteria of Wilemon and Cicero’s (1970: 282) objective for a “complete hypothesis of project management”.
Engwall (2003) holds a different view on project as a temporary organisation. He maintains that “no project can be on its own – an island, that the extent of investigation should be broadened both for temporary organisation and the main organisation with concentration on the connection of the project to the main organisation.
In organisation where the goals of the project are specified by the main organisation, projects are essentially seen as a means of change. Looking at the complexness in project management, it will be more preferable to see project as an organisation instead of a tool. Describing project as a temporary organisation suggests many principles of project