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REFLECTIVE CASE STUDY REPORT

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Table of Contents
REFLECTIVE CASE STUDY REPORT............................................................................1

Introduction......................................................................................................................2

1.1. The role of projects in delivering organisational strategy..................................3

1.2. Project initiation, planning and management.....................................................4

2.1. Application of Project Management Tools.........................................................5

2.1.1. Governance and Monitoring...........................................................................5

2.1.2. Stakeholder Management................................................................................7

2.1.3. Risk Management.........................................................................................10

Conclusion and Recommendations................................................................................11

Introduction

The A14 to Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme was a 21-mile road

construction project between Cambridge and Huntingdon (Mace Group, n.d.). The project was

undertaken by Mace Group, who planned, designed and constructed the road. This report

evaluates the project in light of its success or failures in integrating organisational strategy and

applying core project management principles and tools. It also includes recommendations to

improve future projects.

1.1. The role of projects in delivering organisational strategy

A project is a short-term effort comprising various activities geared toward achieving

planned objectives based on acceptance criteria (Ul Musawir et al., 2017). A project must have

goals that must be achieved to be completed. Projects cannot be ceaseless or indefinite. They

have starts and ends. Another crucial characteristic of projects is that it requires funds to

complete. Projects also include risks and uncertainties, uniqueness and directions stipulated by

customers or clients.

Projects play a critical role in the achievement of corporate strategy. Projects are

undertaken in organisations as part of the organisational strategies. Organisations undertake them

to effectively and efficiently utilise their resources and ultimately gain a competitive advantage

over their competitors (Ul Musawir et al., 2017). Thus, projects are driven by the need to achieve

a competitive advantage which is part of organisations' business strategies.

Projects are generally undertaken to effect change in organisations. However, the impact

of change that projects have in organisations mainly depends on the organisational strategies

adopted by managers instead of the projects themselves. Thus, projects are a means of achieving

organisational strategy rather than an end in themselves. Thus, organisational managers must be
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keen to align the projects in their organisations with their business strategies. If successfully

implemented, projects enhance resource utilisation efficiency, thereby reducing production costs

and entrenching the organisation's competitive advantage.

Projects also enable organisations to focus on the most profitable operations. Instead of

engaging in multiple operations that might lead to inefficiencies, organisations undertake

projects that allow them to focus on operations that give them the highest competitive advantage

(Ul Musawir et al., 2017). For instance, a restaurant may establish a drive-in facility to maximise

take-way food services. Projects can also enhance decision-making and empower employees to

increase their performance. For example, installing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system

can enhance financial, supply chain, and operating decisions. The system can also help

employees track their performances in the organisation.

1.2. Project initiation, planning and management

The first step in the project management life cycle is project initiation. Clients decide on

the nature of initiatives, objectives, and expected advantages in this step. Clients assess proposed

projects based on their business cases and feasibility studies (Russell et al., 2018). The project

initiation phase is essential for establishing the resource requirements. The project charter is

developed in this phase. The project stakeholders are also selected during the project initiation.

Once key stakeholders are selected, a stakeholder’s register is established. The register is

essential in guiding project managers in communications regarding the project (Russell et al.,

2018). A project team is also assembled during this phase. Each member of the project team is

assigned roles to ensure seamless execution of the project plan in future. The final aspect of

project initiation is a final review to ensure that all critical aspects of the initiation phase are

successfully initiated.
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The project planning phase is the foundation of any successful project. It involves the

development of a roadmap for successful project implementation and management. During this

phase, managers must organise their project teams, set up resources and set project objectives.

Various documents are developed during this phase. They include the scope statement, which

defines the business case, objectives, deliverables, critical milestones and benefits of the project.

During this phase, the work breakdown structure is also developed. It visually breakdowns the

project’s scope into manageable deliverables. Milestones – high-level goals that must be

achieved throughout the project are also identified (Russell et al., 2018). A Gantt chart is also

made to represent the project's timeline visually. Communication and risk management plan

documents are also developed during this phase.

Project management refers to specific tools, knowledge, techniques and experiences to

achieve project objectives based on the project acceptance criteria (Russell et al., 2018). Project

managers must follow five principles to ensure successful project management. Setting clear and

attainable project goals, creating performance baselines, managing project risks, and defining

team duties are examples of these.

Application of Project Management Tools

This section evaluates the application of critical project management tools in the A14 to

Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme project.

2.1.1. Governance and Monitoring

Project governance refers to the structure built on the authority and accountability to

make sure that the project’s results and outputs are per the stipulations of the project plan. It is a

surveillance role that is tied to the organization's organizational model of governance and is in

charge of project implementation. A project governance framework offers the project manager
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and team with a structure, methods, and decision-making models for managing diverse project

activities while supporting and regulating them for effective completion (Ul Musawir et al.,

2017). This framework enables organisations to align the project's objectives with the overall

organisational strategies. Different entities and activities amount to project governance. Project

managers and project teams monitor project activities to ensure they are undertaken according to

entrepreneurial and ethical principles. Instructions from organisations' boards and other

significant stakeholders also lays down the rules for communication between various

stakeholders in a project.

Project governance has various objectives. They include monitoring and controlling

activities for quality and alignment with project objectives, aligning projects with organisational

strategies, establishing standard communication procedures and laying down the structures for

decision making (Ul Musawir et al., 2017). Establishing governance of a project and monitoring

has several benefits. First, it assures managers in organisations that governance requirements are

met in projects. These requirements ensure that project objectives and quality match the

organisational strategy. It also ensures that common mistakes in project management are

avoided. Governance and monitoring enhance relationships between the project team, clients,

and suppliers, improving project success chances. It also reduces various project risks,

maximises project benefits and assures continued organisational development.

In the A14 to Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme project, Mace Group's

primary project governance objectives included creating new employment opportunities for

people along the highway (Mace Group, n.d.). More than two thousand residents were employed

throughout the construction project. The project manager and team also ensured that the project

had minimal negative impacts on the environment through pollution or destruction of critical
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environmental resources. The project plans were shaped by consultations with members of the

public and the Transport Secretary (Mace Group, n.d.). Each project activity was undertaken

based on these consultations. The stakeholders’ needs are prioritised when undertaking the

project. The project manager constantly collaborated with more than two thousand individuals

affected by the project.

The project activities were monitored to ensure adverse environmental impacts were

mitigated. The Highway Agency’s Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations of 2009

ensured that the project was executed in ways that did not put the environment in peril. An

environmental impact assessment results were used to identify ways of reducing the project's

adverse environmental impacts. A Code of Construction Practice was also prepared and enforced

to ensure that the construction had minimal impact on the people, traffic, and the natural and

historic environments in the affected locations.

The project was also closely monitored for quality and benefits. The Hyperion

Infrastructure Consultancy was required to assess the quality outcome of the government’s

capital investment on the A14 to Cambridge. The consultancy firm ensured that quality standards

were adhered to throughout the project.

2.1.2. Stakeholder Management

Stakeholder management is a vital factor in projects' success. It involves organising,

monitoring and enhancing relationships with a project's stakeholders. The process begins by

identifying all the stakeholders. Then, the stakeholders' needs and expectations are assessed. A

great stakeholder management plan is completed by planning and conducting numerous actions

to engage and work with them. A stakeholder management plan serves as a mechanism for the
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project manager to coordinate his or her contacts with numerous stakeholders. It is also a basis

for assessing the status and quality of the relationship with the stakeholders.

The benefits of stakeholder management cannot be understated. Most project

management organisations have recognised the role of practice in a project's success. One of the

significant benefits of good stakeholder management is improving business intelligence.

Stakeholder management enables project managers to understand stakeholder needs and

concerns, enabling them to deliver deliverables that meet the stakeholders' objectives. They also

enhance project teams' reputations. Project management organisations that execute good

stakeholder management practices gain a competitive advantage over rivals. They also reduce the

risk of delivering products that do not meet stakeholders' needs. Stakeholder management also

provides the project management organisations with a social license to execute projects.

The project manager, team, subcontractors, strategic stakeholders, parish councils,

communities, environmental conservation groups, and landowners in the A14 to Cambridge to

Huntingdon Improvement Scheme were crucial stakeholders. Throughout the project, these

stakeholders were consulted for their input in the project. The primary engagement mechanism

was forums. Each of the stakeholder groups was invited into forums before, during and after the

completion of the project to evaluate whether their objectives were effectively met (Highway

England, 2015b). Each stakeholder group was required to have its terms of reference included in

the project scope. The stakeholders worked with the A14 Project Board. The primary purpose of

the strategic stakeholder group (consisting of Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridge City

Council, Network Rail, and Cambridge Local Enterprise Partnership, and Port of Felixstowe)

was to discuss the challenge and consider the project's direction (Highway England, 2015b). This

group was also required to integrate the views and inputs of other stakeholders in their
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recommendations. Nevertheless, the project board met monthly throughout the project to

establish the interests of the other stakeholder groups.

Parish forums were formed to represent the parish councilors and town councilors who

represented the impacted areas (Highway England, 2015b). In these forums, the councillors were

informed about the project's progress. They were also allowed to provide feedback regarding the

project. The parish forums were held monthly.

Community forums were also formed to ensure that people from the local communities'

feedback was incorporated into the project (Highway England, 2015b). These forums were open

to all people. They were requested to provide their suggestions on the road's designs before being

forwarded to the Secretary of State for approval. They were also requested to raise issues of

concern to their communities.

Landowner forums were also formed to address the interests and concerns of the more

than two thousand landowners affected by the project (Highway England, 2015b). These forums

were attended by landowners invited to ensure that all attendees were affected by the project.

These forums aimed at addressing issues of compulsory acquisition, payments, and

environmental issues from the project. The forums were supported by one-to-one meetings

between individual landowners to address personal grievances.

An environmental forum was also established to discuss environmental statutory bodies

and other environmental stakeholders (Highway England, 2015a). These forums were focused on

the roads to ensure minimal adverse impacts on the environment. The environmental

stakeholders were also updated regularly to ensure continued exaction of the project did not lead

to environmental degradation.
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Overall, the A14 project board established an excellent stakeholder management plan.

There were minor disagreements between them. However, these disagreements were quickly

solved, ensuring that the project was executed seamlessly. As evidence of this collaboration, the

project, one of the United Kingdom's most significant infrastructure projects, was completed in

thirteen months.

2.1.3. Risk Management

Another critical aspect of project management is risk management. Identifying,

analyzing, and responding to risks that may develop throughout the execution of a risk is what

risk management entails. Risk management is not only reactive. It also involves proactive

measures that must be addressed during the project planning phase. Project managers assess how

risks might arise and develop ways of controlling them before they occur.

Risk management has several benefits. First, they ensure that troubled projects are

identified before they are undertaken. Projects with high overall project risk scores are likely to

fail. Risk management improves decision making for project managers and teams. The presence

or absence of risks enables project managers and teams to make better decisions about their

projects. They also ensure accuracy for project budgets and schedules. Risk management

improves the quality of project data which ensures that more accurate dates and budgets are

established for projects. Risk management also ensures that clear expectations are established

since the project manager, and team know what can and cannot be accomplished. It also enables

project managers and teams to take proactive stances on risks which prevent losses and

inefficiencies.

Risk management is undertaken through a risk management process. The process consists

of five steps that provide project managers and teams with a structured way of managing risks.
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The initial step in the process is identification of risk. Project managers and teams identify issues

that amount to risks in their projects. Common risks include the implementation of poor

technology and poorly defined objectives. After identifying risks, they are analysed for the

probability of occurrence and severity of impact in the risk analysis step. The risks are then

prioritised based on their analysis scores. They are then mitigated to reduce, accept, transfer or

avoid their impacts. Lastly, the risks are monitored to ensure that they do not reoccur.

Various risks were successfully managed in the A14 to Cambridge to Huntingdon

Improvement Scheme. Safety risks were managed to ensure that construction workers and public

members were protected from various safety hazards. Financial risks were also managed in the

project. Risks appertaining to cost inflations and disruptions of cash flows were identified and

mitigated before they became problematic (Mace Group, n.d.). The project team hired legal

advisors to identify and mitigate legal risks in the project. These risks included contractual

disputes and regulations and code violations. Project risks were also assessed to minimise such

risks as poor resource management or missing deadlines. Environmental risks were also

identified. In particular, a flood and water risk assessment and a mitigation plan was established

to assess and mitigate the high risk of flooding during the project (Mace Group, n.d.).

Conclusion and Recommendations

Among the most successfully executed projects in the United Kingdom's infrastructural

construction projects history includes the A14 to Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement

Scheme. It was executed using project management tools such as risk management, stakeholder

management and governance and monitoring. Consequently, it was completed in thirteen

months, one of the shortest times to complete road construction projects. This success was
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mainly based on collaboration with all stakeholders, effective risk management and proper

governance and monitoring.

The Mace Group's performance while executing the project raised the bar for project

management organisations. Specifically, the organisation's commitment to integrating all

stakeholders' interests into the project was unrivalled. Other project management organisations

must show a similar commitment to enhanced performance in future projects.

References

Highways England (2015a). A14 to Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme:

Development Consent Order. https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-

content/ipc/uploads/projects/TR010018/TR010018-002390-Highways%20England%20-

%20HE-A14-EX-238%20ES%20Appendix%2017.1%20Flood%20Risk%20Assessment

%20update%20(marked-up%20version).pdf

Highways England. (2015b). A14 to Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme:

Environmental Statement. https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-

content/ipc/uploads/projects/TR010018/TR010018-001079-A14%206.5%20ES%20Non-

Technical%20Summary.pdf

Mace Group. (n.d.). A14 to Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme.

https://www.macegroup.com/projects/a14

Russell, J. S., Pferdehirt, W. P., & Nelson, J. S. (2018). Project Initiation, Scope, and

Structure. Technical Project Management in Living and Geometric Order.

https://wisc.pb.unizin.org/technicalpm/chapter/project-initiation-scope-and-

structure/figure-3-2/

Ul Musawir, A., Serra, C. E. M., Zwikael, O., & Ali, I. (2017). Project governance, benefit

management, and project success: Towards a framework for supporting organisational

strategy implementation. International Journal of Project Management, 35(8), 1658-

1672.