Training of project managers in

Czechoslovakia

Josef Lauber

The methods and forms of training available for project managers in Czechoslovakia are discussed taking into account the unique characteristics of the labour force. With the foreseen important structural changes in the economy, the retraining of workers to cope with different forms of work is seen as an important issue to come to terms with. Moreover, the structure of training courses would need to be examined with a view to future developments.

Keywords: project management, training, course structure, labour force

The training of projects managers has a long-term tradition in Czechoslovakia, comparable with other European countries. It is clear that in the centrally planned and controlled economy developed after 1948, the role of project management was and still is, in some ways, diverse from tasks in Western countries. Funda- mental differences have persisted in the form of greater state interference in project management in socialist countries. Rather different conditions and limitations exist, which have to be taken into consideration by project realization - in Czechoslovakia there are no free labour forces at present (as distinct from Hungary and Yugoslavia). On the other hand, there are problems concerning motivation of people to achieve maximum working performance without sacrificing quality of work. There are further problems associated with deficiency of important commodities for capital construction. This means that in project management there are primary questions concerning the rational distribution of limited resources on the one hand and

Czechoslovak Scientific and Technical Society, 110 01 Praha 1, PO Box 20, Czechoslovakia

motivation and control of the labour force on the other. In the last few years, the Czechoslovak economy has experienced some positive trends leading to economic reform, in the form of increases in the economic and legal independence of enterprises. The role of working groups in the management of enterprises has increased (by means of introducing self-governing elements), and elections of directors have been introduced. It seems that important structural changes in the state economy are on the way. These changes are connected with the realization that a string of projects are in the pipeline (especially in some branches of heavy industry). The retraining of workers in connection with the change to flexible working patterns will form an integral part of projects. It can be said that in the future, the role of well prepared project managers will be greater than in the past.

What methods and forms of training for project managers are available in Czechoslovakia? It is not possible to deliver an exhaustive reply in this short article, moreover, it would not be effective. Generally, it can be stated that the training of project managers has been organized on the postgraduate level, although some auxiliary methods used by project management form a part of management courses and quantitative methods taught during basic study at technical and economic schools. Besides several short-term and specialized courses and seminars, education for the project manager has been concentrated in postgraduate courses (2nd term, 5th year) organized by the High School of Economics in cooperation with the State Commission for Science, Technology and Investments. Four complete cycles took place in the current year (total number of participants - 130). In September 1989, a new course, which complies with the new principles of economy control connected with project management, was started up. Postgraduate study is

Vol 7 No 4 November 1989 02637863/89/04022142 $03.00 @ 1989 Butterworth & Co (Publishers) Ltd 221

determined for graduates of different universities, which have personal experience in project manage- ment, or were chosen for these functions. The students are sponsored by business enterprises and are taken on by them on gaining their qualifications. The total lecture time (lectures take place in boarding schools) amounts to about 300 hours, not including discussions and seminars which are also held. By the end of the course, graduates have developed an independent finalized project, which is presented at an oral assess- ment in front of an examination board.

The course is aimed at improving knowledge in the following spheres, namely

l strategic control, l computer science, operations research and statistics, l planned control of investments, scientific and tech-

nical development and life environment, l reproduction of foundation funds, 0 effectiveness of investments, l financing and budgeting of investments and scientific

and technical development.

The stress is laid on enterprise and wholly social points of view and on all-round analysis of decisive processes passing through different levels of management and at different time periods. Motivation processes and the study of the role of human factors in all stages of project realization form an integral part of the course. As regards technical and model aspects of the course content, there are systems included for the promotion of decision and expert systems following up database and spreadsheet programme systems, which have created a standard means of database verification. The interpretation of methods of application of network analysis and the corresponding programme products realized on microcomputers (which, incidentally, provide a good introduction for the ultimate user - nonprogrammer - to computer techniques) form a classical and permanent part of the course. Particular attention is given to problems of prognostication, long-

term planning and regional planning, including ques- tions of effective protection of the life environment. Themes aimed at the judgement of the effectiveness of investment projects, including effectiveness or service ability of nonproductive investments, have enjoyed great interest. Besides theoretical parts, the major content of the course has involved practical questions on the preparation and the realization of investment actions including legal aspects, the content of binding documentation, problems of progress control, financ- ing and the determination of prices.

It is not possible and indeed would not even be expedient to specify the structure of the course; it would not even be exact, because the course has been drafted as adaptive within the context of the introduc- tion of new themes or modifications in accordance with the prevalent orientation of participants. In the course, lectures are given by prominent professors of univer- sities and workers in governmental agencies and estab- lishments, as well as by experts in project management.

The Czechoslovak National Committee INTERNET

was established in Prague in April 1989. One of its important spheres of activity is aimed at the coordina- tion of the training of project managers. In the years to come, members will be counting on much closer collaboration with INTERNET-IPMA - Czech members are affiliated to this organization - and on rich utilization of international experience and the eventual exchange of experts, teaching and programme pro- ducts. This collaboration would not only strengthen the positive trends in political relations among states with different policies, but would also lead to the extension of projects with international participation in such areas as the environment, for example. One of the more successful and long-term forms of interchange of information and experience occurs at the international seminars on ‘Management and Network Analysis in Project Management’ that take place in Czechoslovakia every year. The organizers welcome experts from all countries to attend these seminars and to share their experiences.

222 Project Management