Project governance: selected South African government experiments

Abstract

Project governance: selected South African government experiments Some form of accountability and power structure binds all organisations. Such structures are typically referred to as the "governance" structure of the organisation. In organisations that have relatively mature project applications and methodologies in place, governance mechanisms are established on more permanent bases. With its focus on performance, results and outcomes , project governance establishes decision-making structures , as well as accountability and responsibility mechanisms in public institutions to oversee projects. As government institutions increasingly place emphasis on project applications for policy implementation and service delivery initiatives, mechanisms or structures should be established to facilitate clear interfaces between the permanent organisation and the temporary project organisation. Such mechanisms or structures should enhance the governance of projects, that is, the strategic alignment of projects, the decentralisation of decision making powers, rapid resource allocation, and the participation of external stakeholders. The purpose of this article is to explore the concept "project governance", and to highlight examples of project governance as applied in selected government departments in provincial and national spheres. This would enable the establishment of best practice examples and assist to develop benchmarks for effective project applications for service delivery improvement. Project governance: selected South African government experiments 730 Koers 73(4) 2008:729-750 Opsomming "Project governance": geselekteerde Suid-Afrikaanse proefnemings 'n Bepaalde vorm van aanspreeklikheid en bevoegdheid bind alle organisasies. Daar word tipies na hierdie vorm as die "rege-ring"-of "besluitnemingstruktuur" van die organisasie verwys. In organisasies wat relatief gevestigde projektoepassings en projekmetodologieë in plek het, word regeerkundige meganis-mes op 'n meer permanente basis gevestig. Met die fokus op prestasie, resultate en uitkomste, vestig "project governance"-meganismes besluitnemingstrukture sowel as aanspreeklikheid-en verantwoordingdoeningsmeganismes in openbare instellings om projekte te moniteer. Namate regeringsinstellings klem plaas op projektoepassings vir beleidsimplementering en diensleweringsinisiatiewe, behoort meganismes en strukture gevestig te word om duidelike koppel-vlakke tussen die permanente organisasie en die tydelike pro-jekorganisasie te bewerkstellig. Sodanige meganismes en strukture behoort die regeerbaarheid van projekte te verbeter, verwysend na die strategiese belyning van projekte, die de-sentralisasie van besluitnemingsbevoegdheid, snelle hulpbron-toedeling, en die deelname van eksterne aandeelhouers. Die doel van die artikel is om die konsep "project governance" te verken en om voorbeelde van geselekteerde toepassings daarvan in openbare instellings op provinsiale en nasionale sfere uit te lig. Sodoende kan die beste praktykvoorbeelde ont-leed word om die ontwikkeling van maatstawwe vir effektiewe projektoepassings vir diensleweringsverbetering te bevorder.