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Top1. Introduction
The effective management of project cost, time and quality is a contingent factor in the overall success of any project (Belout & Gauvreau, 2004). It is therefore fundamental for a project manager to possess and display certain competencies that are appropriate for the optimum performance of invested resources and production of satisfactory deliverables (Brown, 2007). Project managers’ clients often demand to keep projects within scope, on schedule and within budget (Ofori, 2013). This burdens project managers with the task of achieving their clients’ specific objectives. Although there have been major technological developments that have contributed to effective project management, project failures still exist (Arendse, 2013). The existence of project failures have necessitated continued research on the subject area of improving effectiveness of project management competency factors (Gelbard & Carmeli, 2009; Nwagbogwu, 2011).
A competent project manager is undoubtedly vital to project success (Belassi & Tukel, 1996; Belout & Gauvreau, 2004; Ahadzie, Proverbs, & Olomolaiye, 2008; Arendse, 2013). Several studies have highlighted critical skills and knowledge areas that a competent project manager should posses (Sayles & Chandler, 1971; Belassi & Tukel, 1996; Crawford, 2000). Ahadzie (2007) confirmed that there is growing awareness of the correlation between achieving project success and construction project management competencies. Successful construction organizations now focus on ensuring that project managers acquire the core competencies required to be successful in their assignments. According to Frank (2002), the competent project manager has direct influence over approximately 34 – 47% of a projects outcome.
Project managers apply numerous skills and competencies in the course of successfully carrying out projects. Two major competency categories associated with project management practice are management and technical competencies (Abraham, Karns, Shaw, & Mena, 2001; Bauer, Richardson, & Marion, 2014). Project managers are much often primarily selected based on their technical competence, but are lacking in management competency. The problem is that as much as the selection of project managers is based on technical competence, lack of management ability can result in failed projects (Lampel, 2001). This is because the project manager is too focused on technical issues of the project and lacks the necessary skills, leadership, communication, planning and orgarnising which are critical to the success of the project (Abraham, Karns, Shaw, & Mena, 2001). Complex or large scale construction projects have proven to be a feat of human multitasking and a project manager is usually appointed to bear overall responsibility for the successful planning, execution, monitoring, control and closure of a project (Anderson, 2011). The need to integrate effective measures to decrease project failure has become increasingly important among project managers in different countries and industries across the globe, including the construction industry in Botswana (Palalani, 2000).