Project Management Challenges in Implementing Agile Methods in Manufacturing SMEs

Abstract

A changing business environment brings unpredictable and uncertain future for companies. While demands and expectations of stakeholders are simultaneously growing, on the other hand, companies need to be agile - to design their processes in the way to respond effectively to current and upcoming changes. Although agile project management has been primarily related to the software development, it can be applied to other processes, such as manufacturing. Manufacturing business processes are ones that are the most complex and require using appropriate methodology, tools and techniques to achieve specific process objectives. Due to a lack of resources, SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) not likely to make use of formalized project management practices, but some of their elements are used in order to achieve a higher efficiency of the production process. The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent traditional and agile project management methods can improve success of business activities in manufacturing SMEs. Based on the previous researches, authors have a tendency to show a strong relation between using project management practices and improving business performances in SMEs.