Page 193 - DMGT302_FUNDAMENTALS_OF_PROJECT_MANAGEMENT

Fundamentals of Project Management Neha Tikoo, Lovely Professional University

Notes Unit 12: Future of Project Management-II

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
12.1 Historical Perspective of Project Management

12.2 Contemporary Growth
12.3 Current Situation
12.4 Future Growth
12.5 Techniques and Tools
12.6 Summary
12.7 Keywords

12.8 Review Questions
12.9 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

Know about the future of project management;
Understand the contemporary growth;
Know about the current situation.

Introduction

One can trace artifacts back nearly 5000 years that represent the results of projects and a high
degree of technical competence at managing the work. Perhaps the oldest artifact is The Great
Pyramid of Giza – located near the city of Cairo, Egypt and the only survivor of the Seven
Ancient Wonders of the World. There are other ancient artifacts, but without a specific date of
construction identified. Circa 2560 BC, The Great Pyramid of Giza was constructed over a period
of perhaps 20 years as the necropolis for the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu. Built to a height of 481 feet
by using approximately 2 million stone blocks, each weighing more than two tons, it ranked as
the tallest structure on earth for more than 43 centuries. Each side is oriented to the cardinal
points of the compass – i.e., north, south, east, and west.

12.1 Historical Perspective of Project Management

In a November 1998 issue of National Geographic Magazine, it was suggested that the building
of The Great Pyramid required a sophisticated community of such skills as planning, cooking,
baking, healthcare, and stone cutting to accomplish this project. Pictures often depicting slaves
being whipped to perform the tasks of stone cutting and stone placement, but this could not
have been the typical “management method” for the project. There had to be some team
organization and project management to accomplish the feat of building the pharaoh’s tomb
whose actual planning and construction remains a secret from modern society today. Project
management has continued to grow over the more than 5000 years through the demands of

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