ABSTRACT
The research examined factors of effective maintenance
management in the public sector. Data gathering and analysis involved personal
interview and questionnaire. The research hypothesis was subjected to test and
analysis using chi-square (x2). The tested hypothesis disclosed that
funds were the key to project success and sustainability. A number of
constraints as well as economic benefits of the study were highlighted.
Recommendations from the study indicated that projects and facility maintenance
should be tailored to the size of revenue realizable, maintenance implications
should be considered along with project conception and the need for government
sound policies in this regard. Deductions from the study clearly show that when
the required wherewithal for managing and maintaining projects/facilities are
provided and properly carried out by competent managers, an outcome of
satisfaction and drastic reduction in environmental accidents in our society
could be assured.
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Project management is an outgrowth of the need to develop and
produce projects in the shortest possible time. Project management is necessary
in complex projects in order to provide a unity of purpose and to establish a
focal point for pulling together the cooperative efforts of literally dozens of
relatively autonomous organizations or bodies. It is particularly useful
wherever considerable coordination is required between several parties.
On the other hand, facility maintenance is not only valuable
for the sake of longevity of the life of machines or other productive
facilities but also it serves as a safety valve for the operators of the
equipment. According to Priel (1994), the maintenance of plant and equipment in
working order is essential to achieve total quality, reliability and efficient
working. The best project or equipment will not work satisfactorily unless it
is cared for, and cost of a breakdown in the system can be very high, not only
in financial terms but also in poor staff morale and bad relations with
customers. The people and materials must also be maintained, through training,
motivation, healthcare and even entertainment for the people, and proper
storage and handling of materials.
Kerzner (2000) defines project management as the planning,
scheduling, and controlling of series of integrated tasks such that the objectives of the project are achieved successfully and
in the best interest of the project’s stakeholders. Therefore, project
management is an important factor for determining project success. Where
management is poor, there is failure. There is no project that can provide the
expected results without proper and sufficient management. Sound project management
is indeed a key factor in achieving the desired goals and objectives of a
project.
There are many factors that affect sustainability and
continuous derivation of services from projects long after their completion,
perhaps the most important is the maintenance of projects or the facilities
therein. Maintenance in this context refers to the act of keeping the
productive facilities in good condition, so that the optimal expected
performance or output of the facilities remains about the same as when the
facilities were initially put to use.
Maintenance of productive facilities is so important for any
kind of organisation because the alternative – the replacement of equipment
– may be very costly financially and in terms of other
requirements. In view of the limited resources of organizations and especially,
Local Government Areas, the desire to acquire new facilities from time to time
may be strong, but the capacity may be low.
1.2 STATEMENT OF
PROBLEMS
Recently, there have been a series of environmental accidents
such as air disasters, collapsed buildings, bridges etc in our cities in the
various Local Government Areas. These structures and infrastructures were
designed to have a life span of over 30 years but they are neglected to decompose rapidly beyond repair
because of sub-standard materials used or due to poor/lack of maintenance.
The main problem of this study is centred around inefficiency
of project management and facility maintenance. This work seeks to find
solution to the problem.
How the Local Government Area recognizes the need for project
Management and facility maintenance.
How projects are to be properly implemented and supervised.
How the administrators and politicians appreciate the
essential elements of project management and facility maintenance.
How inadequate funds affect the project management and
facility maintenance in the Local Government.
How project execution is to be approved and monitored by
Government.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE
STUDY
The major objective of this study is to know how project
management and facility maintenance are carried out in Local Government Areas. This
is necessary because there is the view that efficient project management and
sustainable facility maintenance is a key indicator of project success and
future prospect of the project.
Other objectives of the study are:
To evaluate the performance of project management and
facility maintenance in the Third Tier of Government.
To identify the major problems affecting project management
and facility maintenance in the public sector.
To determine whether both project management and facility maintenance can lead to effective utilization of resources.
To enable Local Government Administrators and politicians
appreciate and become conversant with the essential elements of both project
management and facility maintenance programmes.
To enable readers have a better understanding of project
management and maintenance management programmes in the public sector.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The under mentioned questions are fashioned out so as to
obtain solutions to the fatal flaws in the project management and facility
maintenance system.
What are the implications of project management and facility
maintenance in an organization?
What are the constraints to project management and the
maintenance of productive facilities?
Materials used in projects and maintenance of productive
facilities, are they standard or sub-standard?
What is the extent of adherence to the laws in approving and
monitoring projects in the Local Government Areas?
1.5 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The research
hypothesis focus on the following:
Null Hypothesis
HO: Inadequate funds
hinder project development and facility maintenance in Local Government.
Alternative Hypothesis
HI: Inadequate
funds in Local Government does not hinder project development and facility
maintenance.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE
STUDY
The delimitation of this study will be based on project
management and the maintenance of productive facilities in Local Government.
The study will cover the operations of the Oshimili-South Local Government Area
with regards to the review of the related literature.
The review will enable the researcher to make an objective
appraisal of the present position of projects and maintenance management of the
Government especially the third tier of Government.
1.7 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The study identified and made recommendation in the areas of
efficiency and effectiveness of project management and maintenance activities
in both public and private sectors. The outcome of the research will enable the
third tier of government administrators know that even if a project works as
designed, it is useless if there are no benefits for the target beneficiaries, the local
community or the nation in general.
The finding and recommendations of this study could be useful
to Government officials particularly those in Local Government Areas, the
academic environment and the general public.
It is hoped that the study will provide useful information for
the Local Government policy adjustment in project management and facility
maintenance where necessary because what was considered state-of-the-art
yesterday is, in many cases, obsolete today.
1.8 DEFINITION OF
TERMS
Some terms used in this study, which seem not very common and
with several usage are defined in a way to make their meanings clear in order
to avoid ambiguity.
Critical Path Analysis: A technique for planning and
controlling large complex projects which consist of may interrelated activities
and events.
Critical Path: This is a route though a network of events
which will increase the duration time of project if any of the activities on
the path are delayed.
Intangible Benefit: Benefits, which cannot be evaluated
correctly because they cannot be quantified.
Maintenance: It is the work undertaken to ensure that plant, equipment,
building etc are fully operational, and/or to deal with breakdowns in the
minimum possible time.
Maintenance culture: Is the conscientious attention to the
use and maintenance of machines, equipment and other productive facilities.
Maintenance Management: Are those sets of tasks that should
be conducted to ensure that facility-related components and systems perform
functions and provide services which were designed to and for the period that
they were so designed.
Programme: This is a functional broadly defined business
activity, which is planned to be of continuing duration and which will provide
leadership influencing group projects.
Project: Project management institute (PMI) defined a project
as any undertaking with a defined starting point and defined objectives by
which completion is identified.
Project Analysis: Kanshahu described project analysis as an analysis
of major feature of a possible new investment and evaluation of the
desirability of committing resources to it.
Project Cycle: According to Kayode (1979), the entire series
of activities that must be covered from the project idea to the stage where a
project is ready for operation is referred to as the project cycle.
Project Document: These are important documents related to
the planning and implementation of a project. They form the bases for project
management.
Project Management: Kerzner (2000) defines it as the
planning, scheduling and controlling of series the projects are achieved
successfully and in the best interest of the project’s stakeholders.
Project Success: Project success means achieving quality objectives
by a given time and within budget.
Sustainability: This applies to projects that are designed in
such a way that continuity is ensured.
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM): TPM is a Japanese concept
and is defined as productive maintenance implemented by all employees, is based
on the principle that equipment improvement must involve everyone in the
organization, from line operators to top management.
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Item Type: Project Material | Size: 86 pages | Chapters: 1-5
Format: MS Word | Delivery: Within 30Mins.
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