Development National Project Management Tools At The Regional Level

Abstract

The work examines the current state of the project management system in regional government bodies of the Russian Federation, the formation of which was influenced with such factors as a change in approaches to managing the strategic development of Russia, the formation of new approaches to managing national projects in the framework of the strategic development of the country and regions, increasing the importance of project approach with the accumulation of positive experience in the use of design technologies in public administration the implementation of regional development projects and programs. The methodological basis of the study was the theory of public administration, strategic management and project management. The periodization of the development of the project management system in government bodies was carried out. In order to determine the degree of conformity of the composition and structure of the portfolio of regional projects to the portfolio of national and federal projects, these indicators are compared in the context of the Russian Federation and the region (using the example of the Sverdlovsk region). Changes in the regulatory support for the management of priority projects of Russia related to the refinement of strategic goals are analyzed. A deep analysis of the experience of the regions in the application of design technologies allowed us to systematize the best regional practices for elements of the project management system. It is concluded that there are unique practices in organizing project management systems that can be replicated through the activities of regional project management centers.

Keywords: Management systemnational projectsproject managementpublic administration

Introduction

The use of project management tools in public authorities has a rather long history. At the same time, if the application of professional methodology for managing individual projects and programs with state participation is more than 40 years old, the creation of project management systems at the state level is a relatively young area.

The first experience of project management in Russian government can be dated 2005, when acquaintance with the professional methodology occurred during the implementation of priority national projects (Krasilnikov & Yakimova, 2015).

If we talk about the current stage of development of project management in public administration, it is characterized with the active involvement of regions in project activities. Moreover, today the Russian regions are significantly differentiated according to the degree of development of project management systems.

The criterion for the effectiveness of project management systems is the successful implementation of most projects (Hoegl & Gemünden, 2001). Empirical studies of the causes of successes and failures of megaprojects show the significance of factors characterizing individual elements of project management systems (Mišić & Radujković, 2015).

The study of public construction projects in India revealed four factors for the successful implementation of projects: familiarity with the rules and regulations and their implementation; definition of the content of the project (project scope) and pre-project planning; external monitoring and control; and partnerships between project participants (Flyberg, 2014). Because of similar study, the World Bank revealed the following success factors: institutional environment, training, design, coordination, and monitoring (Ika, Diallo, & Thuillier, 2012).

Conceptually, the project management system is a combination of methodological, technical, organizational, informational and other solutions that can effectively manage both individual projects and their sets in the form of programs and portfolios (Il'ina, 2015; Polkovnikov & Dubovik, 2013). The composition of the elements of the organization’s project management system is still the subject of scientific discussion (Polkovnikov & Dubovik, 2013; Bogdanov, 2012). In this study, the project management system will be considered from the perspective of the Russian standard GOST R 58184-2018 “Project management system. Basic Provisions ”, where three main and four supporting elements of project activities are highlighted, which should be described in the regulatory and procedural documents, regulatory documents of the project management organization.

Regional authority in the context of the project management system plays two roles: governance and management. Despite the similarity of concepts, these roles are significantly differentiated with the range of tasks performed. The role of project management is to establish conceptual values, processes, policies, and a development strategy for a project management system (Joslin & Müller, 2015; Pinto, 2014). Thus, we can conclude that the management of the project activity system consists in establishing the rules by which project management will operate. Therefore, when regional authorities act within the framework of the provisions and methodological recommendations of the Federal Project Office, they act as managers of regional projects, and when they form a system for managing project activities in the region – the rules for implementing departmental and municipal projects – in the role of project management.

Problem Statement

An important task of the current stage of development of project management in the regions is not just the formal creation of bodies and a minimum set of documentation on project management in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Project Office, but the construction of an effective and functioning system for implementing regional projects.

Research Questions

The object of this study is the Sverdlovsk region it is one of the regions actively implementing project management. The open information on the official websites of state authorities of the Russian Federation and its subjects, the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, the regulatory and methodological support of the federal and regional project management systems was the information base of the study.

The study was conducted in two stages. At the first, periods of development of project management in regional government bodies were identified. In the second, using the example of the Sverdlovsk region, elements of a project management system in the region were analyzed and evaluated. The assessment was carried out on the following scale: 0 - element is missing, 0.5 – element is partially formed, 1 – element is formed in accordance with best practice. An assessment below 3 shows that in the region there is only the basis of a project management system. An assessment from 3 to 5 shows that it is an evolving project management system. An assessment from 5 to 7 shows that it is a mature project management system.

Purpose of the Study

It is the analysis of the existing project management system in the region and determination of its development directions based on the best practices of Russian regions.

Research Methods

Findings

Analysis of the elements of the project management system in the Sverdlovsk region (Table 02 ) led to the conclusion that there is a basis for the further development of the project management system in the region. The system scored 3 points, having received the status of developing.

The analysis of regional practices according to the element “Personnel Competency Management System”, which is responsible for the systematic formation and assessment of the competence of project participants, showed that only in the Primorsky Territory and the Belgorod Region the competency models have been developed. So, the competency model of the Primorsky Krai describes three project grades - a project executor, a project manager and a project professional, which are established on the basis of an assessment of 12 personal and 10 professional competencies. Assessment of competency is carried out in two stages. At the first stage, personal competencies are assessed, at the second; through testing professional ones are assessed. In the Belgorod Region, a model has been developed for assigning a rank in the field of project management, depending on the complexity of the project, the role and the experience of participating in successfully completed projects. The model has two roles - a project specialist and a project manager, each of them has four ranks. A number of regions, for example, the Leningrad Region, use the competency model of the Center for Evaluation and Development of Project Management to assess compliance, respectively, the main assessment tool is certification testing appropriate to the level.

The project staff motivation system allows you to create the necessary behavior of employees in project activities, provides an increase in efficiency, productivity and employee loyalty. The most complete motivation system is formed in the Belgorod region. The region’s motivation model includes the tangible and intangible component. When calculating the premium component, both the personal contribution of the project participant and team work are taken into account. Intangible motivation is based on the previously mentioned rank of civil servants in the field of project management. Employees with a high rank of the role of “project manager” are awarded the badges “Project Manager of Belogorye” and certificates “Project Specialist of the Belgorod Region”.

The system of support and development of project activities allows you to analyze the existing project management system and develop measures for its improvement. An analysis of the practice of the regions showed the lack of a development strategy for project activities, respectively, the federal project office still plays a locomotive role in the development of regional project management systems.

Conclusion

An analysis of the best practice of organizing project management systems in the regions led to the conclusion that so far several unique regional solutions have been formed in Russia, the elements of which can be adapted and replicated in the practice of less mature regions.

A major role in this process should be played by the Centers for the Development of Project Management Competencies in the regions that are currently absent, but leading regional universities that train specialized specialists may do it.

References

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