INBRIEF
APRIL
2009
32 THE GLOBAL RISK FACTOR
* Outsourcing multiple parts of projects to overseas partners in low-cost economies helps
companies cut costs and meet compressed schedules.
* But outsourcing also adds unconventional risk—terrorist attacks, infrastructure disruption
and greater exposure to geopolitical instability.
* By adopting some simple changes to their sourcing practices, project managers can identify
and help eliminate such risks.
40 A WAY OUT
* Around the world, governments are pumping money into infrastructure projects as an antidote to the economic slump.
* Many of those projects are launched through public-private partnerships, adding an incentive
for meeting budget and timelines.
* Economic woes are prompting increased scrutiny on all project decisions, so project managers should be prepared to justify expenses.
* Project leaders must conduct added due diligence when choosing partners to be sure they
can deliver for the long term.
>“Funding for
projects is still
coming so there is
not a lot to panic
about. In fact, we
have so much work
there are not enough
project managers to
handle it all.
”
—PG. 47, MAN CHAI, PMP, BRISBANE CITY
COUNCIL, BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
52 FIVE WAYS TO MAKE OR BREAK YOUR TEAM
* A variety of issues can cause group dynamics to disintegrate, team members to lose interest
and morale to suffer.
* Non-stop meetings, changing project directions and conflicting agendas rank high on the list
of annoyances.
* Project managers can keep teams cohesive with emotional support, open communication and
strong leadership.
3,600
58 OPERATION ONLINE
* By focusing on training and securing stakeholder buy-in, a U.S. hospital network overcame
cultural resistance to launch a fully electronic healthcare-management system.
* More than half of the caregivers in the network are using the new system.
* Those hospitals that have made the switch are seeing consistent improvements in quality,
efficiency and safety, as well as decreased costs.
NUMBER OF
EMPLOYEES TRAINED
ON A NEW PAPERLESS
SYSTEM IN FOUR WEEKS
AT ONE HOSPITAL
64 ON THE MAP: CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA
* Project managers in Chicago, Illinois, USA are battling the bad economy by going back to
the basics.
* The city slump has stalled many high-profile projects, including The Spire, which was to be
the tallest building in North America.
* Chicago is looking to change its fortune with a bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics—
which would mean a windfall of projects.
PG. 62
72 COME TOGETHER
* Following the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, Colliers International launched a
project to restore a small fishing village in Kirinda, Sri Lanka.
* As the project progressed, team members continually engaged local residents for their input.
* The 45 newly constructed Kirinda homes are a hybrid of tradition, local materials and energy-efficient technology.
