The ultimate goal of an applied improvement project lies in achieving success — the meaningful change that results in enhanced organizational performance. However, the range of success criteria is quite broad since a project can succeed or fail in various dimensions. For instance, Frefer et al. (2018) accounted for approximately 80 success criteria and factors, ranging from cost and performance to time and stakeholder satisfaction. In this regard, the knowledge of organizational structure is immensely valuable since it allows us to understand which internal stakeholders can assist in the successful implementation of the project.
In particular, the information regarding the organizational structure is vital for revealing the key decision-makers. According to Derakhshan et al. (2019), decision-makers have a significant variety of responsibilities, including but not limited to project selection, allocation of resources, and contract management. Therefore, the knowledge of organizational structure makes it possible to quickly understand which decision-makers will have the strongest influence on the project implementation. Consequently, one will be able to save precious time by approaching the necessary stakeholders in advance. Having prompt access to a person who makes critical decisions is preferable to circumventing the obstacles.
In summary, the knowledge of organizational structure is highly important for project management success. The difference between project management success and ultimate project success lies in the timeframe. Whereas project management success manifests in reaching short-term objectives, eventual project success is a long-term category (Frefer et al., 2018). As such, knowing about the organizational structure before beginning to design an applied improvement project would enhance the project management aspect. Overall, the information on which internal stakeholders can provide a meaningful contribution to the project implementation will help with resource allocation and project prioritization.
References
Derakhshan, R., Turner, R., & Mancini, M. (2019). Project governance and stakeholders: A literature review. International journal of project management, 37(1), 98-116. Web.
Frefer, A. A., Mahmoud, M., Haleema, H., & Almamlook, R. (2018). Overview success criteria and critical success factors in project management. Industrial engineering & Management, 7(1), 1-6.