Page 23 - Journal of Strategic Marketing Magazine - January 2019
P. 23
Volatility, uncertainty, complexity and
ambiguity: Why project management
is essential in a VUCA world
In today’s volatile and complex business world, more and more
organisations across sectors expect staff to adopt a project
management approach as part of their strategic plans, says
Christa Bonnet.
S ome 15 years ago I received management is “the art of directing ambiguity. As a result, more and more
and co-ordinating human and material
an amazing gift. On the irst of
organisations across sectors expect a
May of that year, I started as
resources throughout the life of a
wide range of staff to adopt a project
a regional manager with a company
strategic approach. More managers
involved in a merger. I received three project by using modem management management approach as part of a
techniques to achieve predetermined
things: my new laptop already set up to objectives of scope, cost, time, quality, are allocated to project teams – often
start working, a printer in a box, and a and participant satisfaction”. outside the normal line management
ile. In the latter were details of a three- Every project – no matter its nature structures – tasked with delivering
day project management course I had or industry – has ive stages in the changes and improvements to goods,
to attend, with the details of another process: deining the project, creating services and operations on time and
few days to do a course on the MS the business case, planning the project, within budget.
Project programme. implementation and control, as well What does project success mean
Those courses changed the way I as completion and close-out on each in a VUCA world? In an era when
approached projects and events. We project to measure its success. marketing projects have become
were taught how to do everything increasingly common in organisations,
– small and big, personal and work The VUCA world of work this question is more relevant than
projects – as a way of working through According to the IMM Graduate School, ever. In answering, Shenhar et al.
a project management approach. Today, in today’s world of business it has (2001) remind us that the distinctive
that is still how I tackle my deliverables become evident that organisations skills and roles of the project manager
at work and commitments in my which perform best tend to be those have become much more widespread
personal life. that manage projects better and and has become a strategic imperative
Acquiring project management quicker. Previously, it was acceptable in marketing.
skills is a gift each person needs to give when project managers were mainly No matter the motivation for the
themselves. trained as technical specialists when project, the question of its success is
It is important to know what project required to deliver complex, technical strongly linked to an organisation’s
management is and what the role of a programmes of work. No longer. effectiveness. Central to this, it has
project manager is – especially when In the VUCA world of work, more become important to attend to front-
implementing a strategic marketing innovative marketing strategies are end matters before jumping in and
campaign. inspired by strategic foresight and just ‘doing’ the project. In a VUCA
According to the PMI Standards visionary leadership to deal with environment, marketing projects
Committee (1987), project volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and require team members to devote
Strategic Marketing - p21
ambiguity: Why project management
is essential in a VUCA world
In today’s volatile and complex business world, more and more
organisations across sectors expect staff to adopt a project
management approach as part of their strategic plans, says
Christa Bonnet.
S ome 15 years ago I received management is “the art of directing ambiguity. As a result, more and more
and co-ordinating human and material
an amazing gift. On the irst of
organisations across sectors expect a
May of that year, I started as
resources throughout the life of a
wide range of staff to adopt a project
a regional manager with a company
strategic approach. More managers
involved in a merger. I received three project by using modem management management approach as part of a
techniques to achieve predetermined
things: my new laptop already set up to objectives of scope, cost, time, quality, are allocated to project teams – often
start working, a printer in a box, and a and participant satisfaction”. outside the normal line management
ile. In the latter were details of a three- Every project – no matter its nature structures – tasked with delivering
day project management course I had or industry – has ive stages in the changes and improvements to goods,
to attend, with the details of another process: deining the project, creating services and operations on time and
few days to do a course on the MS the business case, planning the project, within budget.
Project programme. implementation and control, as well What does project success mean
Those courses changed the way I as completion and close-out on each in a VUCA world? In an era when
approached projects and events. We project to measure its success. marketing projects have become
were taught how to do everything increasingly common in organisations,
– small and big, personal and work The VUCA world of work this question is more relevant than
projects – as a way of working through According to the IMM Graduate School, ever. In answering, Shenhar et al.
a project management approach. Today, in today’s world of business it has (2001) remind us that the distinctive
that is still how I tackle my deliverables become evident that organisations skills and roles of the project manager
at work and commitments in my which perform best tend to be those have become much more widespread
personal life. that manage projects better and and has become a strategic imperative
Acquiring project management quicker. Previously, it was acceptable in marketing.
skills is a gift each person needs to give when project managers were mainly No matter the motivation for the
themselves. trained as technical specialists when project, the question of its success is
It is important to know what project required to deliver complex, technical strongly linked to an organisation’s
management is and what the role of a programmes of work. No longer. effectiveness. Central to this, it has
project manager is – especially when In the VUCA world of work, more become important to attend to front-
implementing a strategic marketing innovative marketing strategies are end matters before jumping in and
campaign. inspired by strategic foresight and just ‘doing’ the project. In a VUCA
According to the PMI Standards visionary leadership to deal with environment, marketing projects
Committee (1987), project volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and require team members to devote
Strategic Marketing - p21
