Project Management Functions and Success of Community Development Projects in Soroti: A Case Study of the Katine Community Partnership Project

Abstract

The study was an assessment of the contribution of project management to the success of community development projects in Soroti district with a case study of the Katine Community Partnerships project. Project management was measured using three dimensions of planning, executing and controlling. Success of community development projects was studied using the dimensions of time taken to deliver the project, cost of the project and scope of the project. The study followed a cross sectional design using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study population comprised of respondents of the project management committee and the district steering committee. Quantitative data was collected using self administered questionnaires and qualitative data was collected using interview guides. Data was analyzed using different statistical techniques which included frequencies for demographic data, descriptive statistics mainly mean and standard deviation, relational statistics using Pearson’s Moment Correlation Coefficients to establish the relationships between variables and multiple regression analysis to establish cause effect relationship. The major findings of this study were that among the three project management functions studied, only controlling had a strong significant relationship (p=.899) and effect to project success. Recommendations made were that project management team should periodically evaluate the planning process and at the same time involve the right people. More over goals and objectives should be smarter. Pertaining execution, this study recommends that project management team should not manage execution in isolation since it is part of the project lifecycle. Therefore there is need for the project manager during execution to utilize all the plans, schedules, procedures and templates that were prepared and anticipated during prior phases. For control the project manager and team members should utilize a risk management plan prepared in the previous phases and develop and apply new responses and resolution strategies to unexpected eventualities.