Book 3 - Project Sustainability: A Comprehensive Guide to Sustaining Projects,
Systems and Organizations in a Competitive Marketplace by John N. Morfaw, MBA, 2011
Introduction
Author John Morfaw is no stranger to these pages. Back in June 2009 we reviewed an earlier book of his titled Total Quality Management.[25] At that time John was very concerned about the status and quality of healthcare projects as a result of a human resources crisis in the African continent. In this latest book, Project Sustainability:[26] John jumps on the bandwagon of "sustainability" to attract attention to his ideas.
As Dr. Mercy M. Tembon explains in her Foreword to the book:[27]
"This book, "Project Sustainability", explores some of the most exciting frontiers of modern management and especially project planning and management and sustainability in the marketplace. Business consultants, students, government and non-governmental organizations and leadership and management organizations will find a body of enjoyable and useful information within the covers of this book."
Indeed, the book does relate the origins of "sustainability" and describe it in some detail. However, the book avoids lofty academic ideals but instead provides pages packed with useful project reference material that is not otherwise readily available to newly minted project personnel. It is the sort of content that a savvy person would assemble for quick and easy personal reference in bullet-listed, tabulated or graphical form on a multitude of project related topics.
For example, Chapter Two gives a quick rundown on the recommended contents of a "Project Sustainability Management Plan". It covers: Program Summary; Identification of Stakeholders and Advocates; Results Orientation; Financial Planning and Analysis; Program Adaption to Change; Management Structure; Support Systems; Program Monitoring and Evaluation; and Program Documentation. For anyone developing such a plan, that would give them a very good start.[28]
Chapter Three on Sustainable Process Development includes a section that lists all the required Process Flow Chart Symbols. That's a very handy reference for anyone who does not know what all those funny shaped box symbols represent.[29] The chapter also highlights many other types of useful graphical charts. Later in the book, John provides a very comprehensive listing of all the components of The Project Plan Process from Project Plan Preparation to Operational Support.[30] This is followed by other key processes encountered in the project life span, including The Marketing Plan, and other necessary reference data.[31]
The author's objective, it seems, is to create a business guide that explores the complex relationship between a good strategic implementation plan and the implementation actually needed to enhance and sustain a project in the marketplace.
About the author
John Morfaw has an MBA from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, and a graduate certificate in project management from Penn State University, Pennsylvania. He is the founder and CEO of Tanyimor Project Inc. and Tanyimor Foundation Inc. He is also a Mentor with the Africa Unbound Mentorship Program.
25. Morfaw, John, N., Total Quality Management, University Press of America, Lanham, Maryland, USA, 2006, see www.maxwideman.com/papers/tqm/intro.htm
26. John himself explains that to "jump on the bandwagon" means to "join what is popular, be one of the 'in crowds.'"
27. Morfaw, John, N., MBA, Project Sustainability, iUniverse, Bloomington, IN, USA, 2011, p xv
28. Ibid, pp 23-25
29. Ibid, p33
30. Ibid, pp115-119
31. Ibid, pp119-136
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Book 2 -
Improving Your Project Management Skills
