CASE ANALYSIS – KOMBS ENGINEERING

Hijab Fatima-09361

The case focuses on Kombs Engineering, an agency that operates on numerous contracts,
most of which are with the US Department of Energy ( DOE) and other smaller jobs. For
five years, but with a full explanation of the features of the project management system,
DOE required a follow-on deal worth $ 10 million per year. Kombs' technical
performance was unquestionably very satisfying, but their project management was
dubious, which became a problem for them as they had to fulfil the criteria to get the
contract renewal. They hired a consultant to train the company in project management for
this purpose. However, since DOE was not happy with their Project Management
Scheme, they were still not awarded the contract.

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

The conventional organisational framework under which the line managers served as
project leaders was replaced by Kombs. The main authority rests with the general
manager in such a system, who has other subordinates working under him. In this way,
each department in a project is accountable for its own line of operation. A Project
Management System, unlike this system, has an independent project manager who is
professional in his job and has the power to make all decisions and is also responsible for
managing the project. This was the main area of concern for Kombs as DOE had made a
prerequisite to have a project management framework in place in order to win the
contract (Organizational structures and project management, 2015).

There can be a variety of reasons for having to incorporate a Project Management

Framework, such as it would be easier for DOE to ask about project changes as
stakeholders and other seniors would be responsible for the project manager. Other than
that, when the project managers work primarily on their own tasks, it is a more
streamlined framework that can help prevent disputes. This will help to save time,
contributing to the completion of projects on time. There are more chances of disputes in
a typical company as various teams fight for control with one another. The team will
show commitment to the project in a project management system, thereby getting greater
morale and dedication to delivering the right deliverables. It is more likely that results are
predictable with a well planned system of doing stuff, so that timing and budget can be
better calculated. (Goodrich) On the other hand, decisions that are suited to the
 CASE ANALYSIS – KOMBS ENGINEERING

Hijab Fatima-09361

department or those that are better suited to their own needs are taken in a conventional
system that Kombs followed.

There was no doubt when it came to technical expertise, since each department has a high
concentration of technical expertise from which any project would gain. For Kombs, this
was not a problem, but the project management system was their main concern. There
was no such criterion when they won the initial bid in 1988.

Kombs retained a contractor in order to win the deal, who was responsible for educating
the entire company and also worked closely with the proposal team. It should, however,
have worked closely on how the project management system at Kombs should operate.
As a consequence, Kombs were not given the contract as DOE was not happy with their
project management.

The most significant thing Kombs would have done, in my view, was to employ a
consultant who would concentrate exclusively on the situation of project management
and educate the entire company accordingly, rather than working closely with the
proposal team. A comprehensive instruction would have enabled them to answer the list
of questions that DOE presented them with.

Another potential alternative is that inside the team, they should have appointed a project
manager who would handle the workload instead of educating the whole company, which
was more time-consuming and yielded no positive results. It's not easy for any
organisation to switch from one system to another and that too in a short period of time,
so it was not a well thought out decision to train everybody together for such a big
change in a short period of time.

Leadership and project management in Pakistan are crucial and competent fields of
project management that directly affect the success of the project. This region should be
highlighted and given importance in Pakistan as it is a developing country with a range of
projects under way and with such a framework, helping to be more coordinated and to
achieve greater control and balance. In order to be more effective, it is important to
develop the skills of managers employed in various sectors. (Khan, 2019)

Kombs was following the traditional organizational structure in which the line managers
 CASE ANALYSIS – KOMBS ENGINEERING

Hijab Fatima-09361

acted as project leaders. In such a structure, the major authority lies with the general
manager who has other subordinates working under him. In this way, each department is
responsible for their own line of function in a project. In contrast to this structure, a
Project Management Structure has an individual project manager who is specialized in
his task and has the authority to make all the decisions and hence, they are responsible for
handling the project. (Organizational structures and project management, 2015) This was
the major area of concern for Kombs since DOE had made a requirement to have a
project management system in place in order to win the contract.

There can be a plenty of reasons for wanting to integrate a Project Management System
such as it would be easier for DOE to inquire on updates regarding the project as the
project manager would be liable to stakeholders and other seniors. Other than that, it is a
more integrated system which can help to avoid conflicts as the project managers would
be working solely on their own projects. This can help in saving time leading to the
projects being completed on time. In a traditional organization, there are more chances of
conflicts as different departments compete with one another for power. In a Project
management structure, the team can demonstrate loyalty to the project hence having
better morale and commitment to provide the right deliverable. With a proper organized
framework of doing things, it is more likely that outcomes are predictable so schedule,
and budget can be better estimated. (Goodrich) On the other hand, in a traditional
structure which

Kombs was following, decisions that are suited to the department are made or the ones
that are best suited to their own interest.

When it came to technical expertise, there was no question because each department has
a strong concentration of technical expertise which every project can benefit from. This
was not a problem for Kombs but their major concern lied with the project management
system. When they won the original bid in 1988, there was no such requirement.

In order to win the contract, Kombs hired a consultant who was responsible for training
the entire organization and was also working closely with the proposal team. However, it
should have been working closely on how the project management system should
function at Kombs. As a result, the contract was not assigned to Kombs as DOE was not
satisfied with their project management.
 CASE ANALYSIS – KOMBS ENGINEERING

Hijab Fatima-09361

The most important thing that Kombs would have done was to hire a consultant who
would solely focus on the project management situation and train the entire organization
accordingly rather than working closely with the proposal team. A detailed training
would have helped them to answer the list of questions that was provided to them by
DOE. Another possible solution is that they could have promoted a project manager from
within the team who would handle the responsibility instead of training the entire
organization which was more time consuming and didn’t even show any positive results.
It’s not easy for any organization to move from one structure to another and that too in a
short period of time, therefore training everyone together for such a major change in short
span of time wasn’t a well thought decision.

REFERENCE TO PAKISTAN:

Leadership and project management in Pakistan are crucial and competent fields of
project management that directly affect the success of the project. This region should be
highlighted and given importance in Pakistan as it is a developing country with a range of
projects under way and with such a framework, helping to be more coordinated and to
achieve greater control and balance. In order to be more effective, it is important to
develop the skills of managers employed in various sectors. (Khan, 2019)

REFERENCES

Khan, A. (2019, October 17). Project Management in Pakistan.

Goodrich, B. (n.d.). Functional Organizations vs Projectized Organizations. Retrieved

from PM Learning Solutions:

Organizational structures and project management. (2015, March 24).