Theories in management
- 1. RESTRICTED AN ESSAY ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT DELIVERED IN ROYAL ENGINEER REGIMENT (RER) by Mej Faizal bin Fadil INTRODUCTION 1. Royal Engineer Regiment (RER) was established on 22 April 1953. RER have encountered numerous adjustments in accordance with the improvement and development of the Malaysian Armed Force. RER begin with a constrained starting part in helping the military operations against the communists, particularly in the obligations of dangerous bombs, clearing the mines, build roads, bridges, airport runways, and water supply. Presently RER ready to assume a bigger part in offering the improvement of the nation after the equipment some assistance with being outfitted with different gear and machinery and in addition having the officers and staff of exceptionally highly skilled. 2. One of the main tasks carried out by RER are helping in the development of the country. With their expertise, skills and equipment it owns many development projects have been implemented by RER to the needs of the people as well as other government agencies. This role has been performed by RER since established. In the meantime RER also involved in development projects in infrastructure. RER project was classified was classified into 3 types which is: a. ‘Jawatankuasa Perancang Gerakan (JPG)’. This project is to build and maintain forward camp which is situated at Malaysia border. b. ‘Bantuan Kepada Tentera (BKT)’. This project is to build up and maintain buildings, roads and airfields in an Army camp. c. ‘Tentera Bersama Rakyat (TBR)’. This project is to assist the Civil Authority in country development such as build up 101 houses fire victims at Malut, Pulau Langkawi, Kedah and maintaining houses in programme Baiti Jannati Comunity at Pekan, Pahang. 1 RESTRICTED
- 2. RESTRICTED 3. As a result, there is a project being late delivered including planning, management and assets. Therefore, this essay is to explain what is the reason project late delivered and suggestion to improve it by using Fayol’s Management Theory based on the function and principle of management through my experiences during conducting the project start from year 2001 until 2004 in my squadron. PROJECT DELAY 4. Careless Estimate Process. Produced a Project Recce Report by me and staff need to do an estimation process of time, material, cost, personnel’s and equipment. In this situation, time estimation is done based on experience and not doing a proper way (calculation basis on work rate and efficiencies). In cost estimation, some of project recce report our squadrons use an old material price (from the previous recce report) and it we not including an impression of price increasing. 5. Lack of Skills and Knowledges. Today involvement RER in the projects was decreased from year 1960 to 1986. Our new officers and soldiers also not involved in various types of projects such as build up, hang up bridge, road construction and airfield. With this decrement of doing projects and exposed to our officers and soldiers in various types of projects will make our men lack of skills and knowledges. In Insitut Kejuruteraan Medan TD (IKEM) as a Training School, officers and soldiers have trained from basic to advanced in construction from time to time (attended courses) but after the return to the unit there was less exercise doing to prepare their officers and soldiers especially tradesmen’s training at unit to deploy in real situation projects. It can make officers and soldiers forget, especially in technical part which need to be refreshed. The impact of this situation, some of projects was not good in quality and many of them delivered late from the timetable given. 6. State of Plant Machines and Equipments (tools). My squadron holds only 60% plant machines from right. Our plant machines hold also average are within 14 to 24 years old. When many projects will run at the same time, delegation of plant machines is restricted. Some of plant machines expecially excavator need to be traveling from project to another project in restricted time without a good maintenance. Within ages 14 to 24 years old, some 2 RESTRICTED
- 3. RESTRICTED of plant machines are cannot perform very well in a project and need to be maintained at the site always and continuously. Same goes to equipment, unit holding was only 45% from right and some of the equipment was not suitable for the time being. 7. Weather Studies. When conducting a recce, a weather study has been done by my troop, but is only general such as based on a forecast of wet and monsoon season. Sometimes project was conducted in the wet season without considering on a forecast that has been done. It can delay some works such as painting and concreting. An example project is constructed Training Pool for Tactical Single Span Bridge and Tactical Floating Bridge at Syed Sirajuddin Camp, Gemas has a water level problem during the digging process. 8. The Suppliers Failed to Supply Construction Materials. The suppliers competed among themselves to get awarded by trying to make a quotation as low as they can without expecting price increasing (forecast). For an example, in year 2005, Tactical Bridging Garage Project for 4 Sqn RER (Bridge) at Kem Mahkota, Kluang was postponed because the contractor (Syarikat Tangkak Emas Sdn Bhd) failed to supply reinforcement. The reason is because raw materials price was increasing expecially reinforcement and brick during the time. Finally, the contract was terminated by Ministry of Defence. 9. Requirement from Users was Keep Changing. It mostly happens, expecially on Widow House Projects. This project objective is to assist a widow to own a basic necessity and did not have any specification standard such as size and material using. The concept is only ‘design to cost’ which is the cost endure by a widow and it must be agreed between the widow and unit. When the project was conducted, suddenly the widow wants to make a change to the plan and it causes a time to come out with a new plan. It also can happen in other projects such as Maintenance Army Camp, which the commander of the unit comes out with his requirement when the project was ongoing. 10. Unit Planning. In a year, my squadron was burdened by too many activities including projects, operations, exercises and unplanning activities. It involved a troops and equipment’s. Most of the activities were conducted at the same time such as when the troops 3 RESTRICTED
- 4. RESTRICTED doing a long time period project and at the same time they need to do a collective or individual exercises. CONCLUSION 11. A good manager should know how to coordinate his men and use their skills using selected machines and materials in order to accomplish desired structure within timelines. The highest percentage of accomplished projects within timelines and good quality can increase RER name in the Army and Armed Forces. 12. Estimation on Recce Report. Cost estimation is estimate process to get an almost actual cost of projects. I have received advice from superior by referring a Schedule of Rate produced by the Ministry of Work that we can get a current rate for construction material. Other than that we refer book Project Management (FM 5-412), Headquarters, Department of the Army, Washington, DC, to get the good (accurate) estimation of project duration (working hours) and the step is: a. Step 1. Calculate the ‘Standard Effort’ required to accomplish the work item. Work rate is the amount of effort produced by one person working for one hour. Quantity the amount of work to be produced. b. Step 2. Decide the ‘Efficiency Factor’ which is a percentage of the unit can operate (a measure of effectiveness of the troops). c. Step 3. Calculate the ‘Total Labor Hours’ to get a troop effort. d. Step 4. To calculate the ‘Project Duration’, Troop Effort must divide the total crew. 13. Development Skills and Knowledges. A full strength squadron with many inadequately trained personnel will result in lower construction output. Training that has been conducted by squadron with practical exercises such as brick laying and plumbing to physically prepared our mens to do their job expecially tradesmen. My squadron also measures troop efficiency and plan to increase that efficiency and make sure, career path for our men are arranged with to ensure there’re going for courses to gain knowledges and 4 RESTRICTED
- 5. RESTRICTED upgrade their skills followed their trades. We also conducted Officer and Senior Rank Study Day to determine problem with different case study. 14. Coordination Machine and Equipment. Equipment that is not in the holding in the project was coordinated by squadron with has been made from nearby units and equipment that is not also made a loan or lease. To maintain shelf life and avoid problems machine breakdown, squadron has determined that each machine must be serviced and a scheduled manner in advance. Application of the new machine also forwarded to higher authorities in addressing on this problem. 5 RESTRICTED
- 6. RESTRICTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Buku Sejarah RAJD dan Pasukan-Pasukan, MK-TD-Jabatanarah Jurutera, 2003 2. Chief Engineer Conference Serial 2/2006, 1/2014 and 1/2015. 3. FM 5-412, Project Management, Headquarters, Department of The Army, Washington DC. 4. Majalah Perajurit Edisi Disember 2012, Hamzah hd. 5. MP 4.4.1 TD, Royal Engineer Regiment (Provisional), 2007 6. Henri Fayol's Principles of Management, Early Management Theory, MTP MAFSC 2016. 6 RESTRICTED
- 7. RESTRICTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Buku Sejarah RAJD dan Pasukan-Pasukan, MK-TD-Jabatanarah Jurutera, 2003 2. Chief Engineer Conference Serial 2/2006, 1/2014 and 1/2015. 3. FM 5-412, Project Management, Headquarters, Department of The Army, Washington DC. 4. Majalah Perajurit Edisi Disember 2012, Hamzah hd. 5. MP 4.4.1 TD, Royal Engineer Regiment (Provisional), 2007 6. Henri Fayol's Principles of Management, Early Management Theory, MTP MAFSC 2016. 6 RESTRICTED