Why No Project Management in Forfas Report?

I read with interest the recent launch (August 2009) from Forfas - Boost your Company's Productivity: Simple Steps and asked myself why can't our state agencies and other representative bodies promote the principles of Project Management to Improve productivity?

This publication was developed by Forfas in conjunction with businesses representative bodies and Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the National Centre for Partnership & Performance.

The guide outlines that key areas for companies to look at when striving to grow productivity are:

• Flexible work practices;
• Innovation and creativity in responding to customer needs;
• Skills and training;
• Improvements in organisational management;
• Efficiency in resource use such as energy;
• Investment in ICTs and modern equipment.

Note no mention of project management!

Achieving higher productivity levels is an important ingredient for future international competitiveness and sustainability. Project Management enables companies and organizations to:

• Develop and deliver high-quality, low-cost products customers need and want.
• Effectively use resources (people, money, and time) to meet organizational goals.
• Manage a portfolio of projects that are all building blocks of the overall strategic vision.
• Capture the collective wisdom of staff and lessons learned on previous projects or information about the overall growth and development of individuals and the organization.

Project management is about delivering projects - be they facilities, products services or process changes - on time, within budget and to the desired performance and quality standards. This means improving productivity through optimisation of resource utilisation.

The value of project management's contribution to productivity needs to be elevated and actively promoted.

The Guide is available from Forfas or through its website www.forfas.ie.