Project management: a new service delivery paradigm

Abstract

In ooreenstemming met internasionale tendense in regerings, het die Suid-Afrikaanse Regering se aanvanklike fokus op die ontwikkeling van 'n beleidsraamwerk, strukture en stelsels om uiting te gee aan die waardes en beginsels van die Grondwet, verskuif na die mees kritieke kwessie, naamlik dienslewering. Die Regering het toenemend tot die besef gekom dat 'n dramatiese uitbreiding in die omvang en kwaliteit van dienslewering nie moontlik was met die tradisionele diensleweringsmetodes en -benaderings nie. Daar is groeiende bewyse dat daar 'n behoefte is om 'n beduidende sprong vanaf meer konvensionele benaderings na 'n nuwe diensleweringsparadigma te maak. Hierdie nuwe paradigma dui toenemend daarop dat die regering se projekbestuursvaardighede en -toepassings verbeter moet word ten einde diensleweringsvermoëns te verhoog. In hierdie artikel word die fokus geplaas op die veranderende diensleweringsparadigma - vanaf 'n "ou" tradisionele model deur 'n transformasieproses na 'n "nuwe" paradigma. Hierdie paradigma word beïnvloed deur internasionale en nasionale tendense en gebeure in die regering. Die bydrae en voordele verbonde aan die toepassing van projekbestuur vir effektiewe regering word beklemtoon en die artikel sluit af met 'n verklaring van organisatoriese reëlings wat nodig is om die nuwe paradigma te rugsteun.

In line with international trends in governance, the South African Government's initial focus on the development of policy frame-works, structures and systems in order to give effect to the values and principles of the Constitution, shifted to the most critical issue, namely service delivery. The Government became increasingly aware that a significant expansion in the scope and quality of service provision was not possible with traditional delivery settings and approaches. There is growing evidence that there is a need for a significant departure from conventional approaches and that a leap into a new service delivery paradigm is necessary. Increasingly this new paradigm highlights the need to further develop the government's project management skills and applications with a view to achieving improved delivery capability. In this article the focus will be placed on the changing service delivery paradigm - from an "old" traditional model through the transition to a "new" paradigm. This paradigm is shaped by international and national trends and events in government. The contribution and advantages of project management applications for effective governance are highlighted and the article concludes with an explanation of project management organisational arrangements necessary to support the new paradigm.