In a company or organization, there is always a functional manager and a project manager. Functional managers are more senior in hierarchy than the project managers, therefore project managers in a company report their activities to the functional manager. In large organizations, there is a management strategy that is referred to as matrix management.
Under this system the functions of the functional and project manager are totally independent from each and run by different persons. Thus, the project manager is usually different from the functional manager. Under this management system, the initiated projects follow a given pattern or strategy in its implementation thus the original design of the project cannot be altered by any person (Nicholas, 2004).
Furthermore, the system allows flexibility in between the managers since company’s’ projects can be assigned to anyone without resistance due to the position one holds in the company. Finally, the system allows for specialization of labor since the managers will perform functions that they are well suited for.
However functional managers have different functions in an organization from those of the project manager. Project managers act like consultants in a specific undertaking of which a company is involved in. Therefore, they have no direct authority over the project but, the functional managers have the full authority over the projects being undertaken by the project managers.
Since the functional managers have authority on projects as compared to their counterparts, they are usually involved in activities such as coordination of staff in the implementation of company projects. They are also involved in the planning of projects and how each stage of it will be coordinated. Also, they ensure that the company has adequate resources or input to make it possible for the completion of any initiated project (Reif, 1976).
The functional managers are also involved in the human resource activities of the company. They can hire new employees and manage recruiting exercises. Although the functional managers have authority on the recruitment of new recruits, the project managers have a significant influence on who gets hired or not.
Since project managers are liable for the success of their projects, they have the power to choose their staff members whom they believe will perform accordingly. Each project involves a series of stages before the project can be fully finalized. Such stages include, planning, putting in order, implementing, scrutinizing and reporting to the functional manager on the developments of the project.
Therefore, unlike the work of the functional managers who initiate the start of a certain project, project managers actually work towards the creation of something that did not exist in prior and after they finish with the project, they will get involved in a totally new and different project.
As a result project managers have a very diverse job portoiflio unlike the functional managers who only play a supervisory role over the project managers in each and every project in progress. Due to their direct approach to the implementation and creation of projects, the project managers usually have more experience and fully understand the different dynamics of project implementation.
In addition they become highly specialized in their work. On the other hand functional managers are usually involved in the supervisory activities hence lack the experience that project managers have in making and finalizing on the projects.
The project managers are involved in the activities of the creating and finalizing on the project directly. They are therefore leaders of the project and accountable to the company for its implementation. In addition, they have to undertake the feasibility study of a given project and ensure that the study is finalized.
They also charged with ensuring that the project is properly planned to detail and desired specifications, assigning and scrutinizing the work and cost. Since the project managers are usually the leaders in their teams, they are in charge of their staff hence they can motivate the teams, assist them in tackling difficulties arising in the course of work. After the project has been successfully completed, the project manager is the one who reviews the project and closes it down.
Project managers unlike functional managers are usually assembled together for a given project whereby after the conclusion of the project, is may be disbanded or assigned to another project hence are not permanent.
In addition, projects are organized according to the specialty of a project manager hence project managers should be people who have a specialty in the specific project. On the other hand function managers usually have only the managerial qualifications to run a project under project managers ( Clifford,2006).
Functional managers are usually responsible for finalizing, negotiating and entering into contracts with other businesses, on the other hand the project manager will commence on the project once a contract has been signed by the function manager.
In addition function managers are charged with initiating the projects that a company is in need of whereby the project manager are latter called in to get the work done. However in small organizations, the function manager is usually the same as the project manager and performs all the functions of both management systems.
Therefore project management is system in an organization for getting projects done while functional management is a system for keeping or ensuring that projects keep on running as wanted.
References list
Clifford, F. (2006).Project management: the managerial process. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited.
Nicholas, J. (2004). Project management for business: principles and practice. Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Reif, J. (1976). Program Management within a Functional Organization. Bedford, MA: Technical Information Center.