An assessment of project management training
Heyns, M. (2002-12)
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The shortage of skilled and high-level managerial human resources are
jeopardising economic development and productivity growth in South Africa. It
is a critical responsibility of senior management to identify the core
competencies of the enterprise and to ensure that the competencies required
by managers, specialists and the workforce in general are adequate and
As more organisations recognise the efficacy of projects and move towards a
project-based approach, the demand for project managers has outstripped
supply and there is a growing international interest in the selection, training
and certification of project managers. The work done in projects has taken on
a strategic flavour, and the role of project manager is consequently being
redefined as a strategic, professional role.
With the tremendous growth and expenditure in this field, training
professionals and organizations can no longer ignore their basic responsibility
to evaluate programmes and measure the results of such programmes. The
aim of this study is to measure the extent of training needs assessment
currently applied, the criteria used in the selection of programmes and
participants, the extent of evaluation of programmes and other contributions
by the organisations. An intensive literature study was undertaken to
investigate the current research into training needs assessments, participant
and program selection and organisational contributions to training. An
additional survey was undertaken in order to assess the use of such
programmes by organisations.
The following perceptions were examined and found to be a true reflection of
the project management training strategies currently applied in South Africa.
Few organisations have formal training need assessment policies in place.
Programmes are often selected by the participants and seldom evaluated.
Participants often do not get the opportunity to implement the skills they have
gained. Learning and individual development is not necessarily linked to the
organisational development strategy.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ekonomiese ontwikkeling en groei in produktiwiteit in Suid Afrika word in
gevaar gestel deur die tekort aan kundige en hoogstaande bestuursvlak
menslike hulpbronne. Die kritiese verantwoordelikheid van die identifisering
van kern vaardighede by die onderneming en die versekering van voldoende
en toepaslike vaardighede by bestuurders, spesialiste en die werksmag in die
algemeen berus by die senior bestuur.
Toenemende hoeveelheid organisasies herken die suksesvolle werksaamheid
van projekte en beweeg na 'n projek gebasseerde benadering. Derhalwe
oorskry die aanvraag na projekbestuurders die aanbod en is daar groeiende
internasionale belangstelling in die keuring, opleiding en sertifisering van
projekbestuurders. Projekte word meer strategies benader en gevolglik vervul
die projekbestuurder 'n toenemende strategiese en professionele funksie.
As gevolg van die toenemende groei en besteding in hierdie gebied, mag
opleidingskundiges en organisasies nie langer hul verantwoordelikheid
teenoor die evaluering van die programme en die gevolglike uitkomste vermy
nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die omvang
van die bepaling van opleidingsbehoeftes asook die evaluering van
opleidingsprogramme, die maatstawe in gebruik vir die selektering van
programme en deelnemende kandidate en die mate van bydraes gelewer
deur die organisasies. 'n Uitgebreide literatuursoektog is onderneem om die
omvang van navorsing in hierdie areas te bepaal.
Sekere aannames is ondersoek en bevind om ware weergawes te wees van
die huidige ontwikkeling programme in projekbestuur in Suid Afrika. Weinig
organisasies het formele beleidsrigtings ten opsigte van opleiding
behoeftebepaling. Programme word dikwels deur die kandidate geselekteer
en word selde ge-evalueer. Kandidate word selde die geleentheid gegun om
nuutgewonde kennis toe te pas en te implementeer. Opleiding en individuele
ontwikkeling is nie noodwendig gekoppel aan die ontwikkelings strategie van
die organisasie nie.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/52663