Projects are important for individuals, organizations

and economies. Project management comes for the

competitions among the projects. It provides the
most challenging career paths to individuals,
competitive advantages to organizations and
economic development to nations. But it may seem
some different between project management in
theory and practical exercise. By this report I tried
to find out the similarity and different of these. I
went to Eastern Housing Ltd. to know their project management practice.
Findings are like as, in theory we see project life cycle has four phases but my
survey has found three. Real estate projects in Dhaka city normally don’t face
much competition because demands are huge. However for competitive
advantage they have to focus on time, human resource, better technology,
change in management, service sector and quality must. They are giving priority
in quality, cost and time respectively. They use time planning and cost estimating
software. Cost estimation approach is bottom-up in case of Eastern Housing Ltd.
They have to flow some rules and regulations to continue the project. Another
thing should mention here that, they have very organized and delegated project
management team and sub teams. Managers have some flexibility to take
immediate decisions for problem solving and managers are obligated to report
about their problems to upper management. They have to monitor and evaluate
the project activities time to time. For this they have own techniques that work
good.
However, they need some improvement also to make their project more
successful by allocating their resources effectively and efficiently.

Chapter-1
 1.1.Introduction:
The purpose of this report is to fill positions subject to identify
the significant difference between academic knowledge
gathered from class room lectures and the knowledge gathered
from surveying project managers of Eastern Housing Ltd. A
project is done only once for unique products, services or
results, whereas most jobs are ongoing or repetitive, and
managing one-time jobs is different from managing ongoing
ones. For one thing, the people who work on a project may be
reassigned to other jobs once the project is completed, so the
team is temporary. Often the team members do not report to the
project manager on a regular basis, meaning that the project
manager has no direct authority over them, a situation that presents its own set of problems.
The temporary nature of projects stands in contrast to business as usual (or operations), which
are repetitive, permanent or semi-permanent functional work to produce products or services.
In practice, the management of these two systems is often found to be quite different, and as
such requires the development of distinct technical skills and the adoption of separate
management. However, the theoretical knowledge of project management sometimes may
differ to practical exercise of project management.

1.2.Objective of the Report:

The objectives of this report are as follows:

➢ To know about the project management techniques of the company

and gain some practical knowledge about this Project Management.
➢ To identify the significant difference between academic knowledge
gathered from class room lectures and the knowledge gathered as
surveying project manager of the organization
➢ To know about the techniques of project planning.
➢ To know how a company evaluate their project progress.
➢ To make the students familiar with qualitative method of data
collection or methodology.
➢ To learn how to communicate with the people in different
environment and situation.
➢ To remark the problem and recommendation.

1.1.Methodology of the Report:

For the organization part, much information had been collected from different published
articles, journals, and web sites. All the information incorporated in this report has been
collected both from the primary sources as well as from the
secondary sources.
1.1.1.Primary Source of Data:
➢ Interviews Collection from Management: I cover-
up the face-to-face interview among the project management
team for getting the vital information. I also discussed with
administrator over the telephone & responding to their query.
➢ Conversation to the Others: I have done the
conversation among each other in the class and senior students,
and also discuss with our course instructor (IMG-401) to institute the formation of report.

1.1.1.Secondary Sources of Data:

The secondary data has been collected from different Journals about EHL. To clarify
different conceptual matters, Internet and different articles published in the magazines have
been used.

1.2.Scope:
I tried hard to identify the project management practice in EHL. I became
able to collect data from project managers in delivery phase. Further research
can conduct on Pay roll scale, Competitive factors, Project plan analysis,
Approach of review the project, project evaluation on the basis of return, use
of software and other techniques to the project etc.

1.3.Limitations:
• Confidentiality of data is most important barrier that was faced during the conduct of
the study. Every organization has its own secrecy that cannot be
revealed in publics.
• Time constraint was another limitation restricting this report
from being more detailed or analytical.
• Lack of comprehension of the respondents was the major
problem that created many confusions regarding verification of
conceptual questions.
• Unable to contract with the head of project management team.
• Unwilling to give company’s sophisticate information.
• Both employees and employers are not willing to give us
enough time for survey.
Chapter-2
• Backward pass: Procedure whereby the latest event times or the latest finish and start
times for the activities of a network are calculated.
• Balanced matrix: An organizational matrix where functions and projects have the
same priority.
• Bar Chart: Chart on which activities and their durations are represented by lines drawn
to a common time scale.
• Bottom up cost estimating: This is the method of making estimates for every
activity in the work breakdown structure and summarizing them to provide a total project
cost estimate.
• Brainstorming: The unstructured generation of ideas by a group of people.
• Budget: Quantification of resources needed to achieve a task by a set time, within which
the task owners are required to work. Note: a budget consists of a financial and/or
quantitative statement, prepared and approved prior to a defined period, for the purpose of
attaining a given objective for that period.
• Cost performance index (CPI): A measure, expressed as a percentage or other ratio
of actual cost to budget plan. (Ratio of work accomplished versus work cost incurred for a
specified time period. The CPI is an efficiency rating for work accomplished for
resources expended.)
• Critical path: Sequence of activities through a project network from start to finish, the
sum of whose durations determines the overall project duration.
Note: there may be more than one such path. (The path through a series of activities,
taking into account interdependencies, in which the late completion of activities will have
an impact on the project end date or delay a key milestone.)
• Critical success factor: A factor considered to be most conducive to the
achievement of a successful project
• Gantt chart: Particular type of bar chart showing planned activity against time.
Note: 'Gantt chart', although named for a particular type of bar chart, is in current usage
as a name for bar charts in general. (A Gantt chart is a time-phased graphic display of
activity durations. Activities are listed with other tabular information on the left side with
time intervals over the bars. Activity durations are shown in the form of horizontal bars.)
• On-time delivery: The receipt of scheduled shipments on the expected date, or defined
as being within an allowable early/late tolerance. Some measurements include adherence
to a specified delivery time of day due to unloading or space constraints.

• Operation: A production step or activity with a defined start and stop time that may be
composed of individual tasks but is not broken down into smaller increments in rate and
capacity calculations. Unlike designating material used on a bill of material, a product
routing has flexibility in grouping or splitting individual operations based on the
commonality of the resources and rates involved.
• Operation priority- The positioning of an operation in a queue or list based on its
status relative to meeting a due date, and its effect on later operations.
• Operation sequence- The numerical designation in a routing that indicates the order
in which operations are performed.
• Operation time- The elapsed time for an operation that includes setup and run hours,
but does not include queue or move time.
• Output- The result generated by a process than transforms an input.
• Outsourcing- The ongoing use of an external third party instead of an internal resource
which may include production of a single operation, a product or an entire line, shipping
and order fulfillment, product design, network infrastructure support or many other
functions. Outsourced functions are normally outside an organization's core competencies
and are done to reduce cost, reduce lead time, improve quality or achieve some other
stated goal.
• Overhead- Business operating costs that cannot be meaningfully or economically
traced to specific products or services, which include manufacturing overhead, selling
expenses, general and administrative expenses, and others.
• Parallel- The simultaneous performance of related activities or tasks, normally using
different resources, which enables completing those activities faster than if they were
done in a serial manner.
• Path- A series of connected events, nodes or resources that indicates the links, direction
of data flow, timing dependencies and positions of those items.
• Plan-do-check-action (PDCA) - A four step quality improvement cycle that
involves continuous improvement based on analysis, design, execution and evaluation.
Sometimes referred to as plan/do/study/act, it emphasizes the constant attention and
reaction to factors that affect quality.
• Planning system- The functions and processes that review requirements and defined
parameters to suggest new operating, material and capacity plans and changes to existing
plans, but are not used for the activities that carry out (execute) those plans.
• Process- 1) To transform an input or set of inputs into a form with different
characteristics, such as value, physical attributes, etc. 2) The environment, methods and
resources used for a specific task or activity.
• Project- A related set of activities and milestones with a preset goal and timeframe that
is designed as a specific event and not an ongoing process.
• Project calendar- The definition of working and non-working days available for
project tasks and activities.

• Project costing- The identification and reporting of all costs generated by a single
project. All production orders, purchase orders and inventoried items are separated and
pegged to the project in order to provide a total actual cost. A method often used in
capital equipment manufacturing and systems integration or professional services
projects.
• Projected life- The estimated useful period of a resource or system based on time,
number of cycles, units processed, or other factors.
• Project definition: A report that defines a project, i.e. Why it is required? What will
be done? How when and where it will be delivered? The organization and resources
required the standards and procedures to be followed.
• Project life cycle: All phases or stages between a project's conception and its
termination. Note: the project life cycle may include the operation and disposal of project
deliverables. This is usually known as an 'extended life cycle'.
• Project management: Planning, monitoring and control of all aspects of a project and
the motivation of all those involved in it to achieve the project objectives on time and to
the specified cost, quality and performance (Alternative definition – The controlled
implementation of defined change).
• Project management plan: A plan for carrying out a project, to meet specific
objectives, that is prepared by or for the project manager.
• Project manager: Individual or body with authority, accountability and responsibility
for managing a project to achieve specific objectives.
• Project risk management: A subset of project management that includes risk
identification, risk quantification, risk response development, and risk response control in
an effort to identify, analyze and respond to project risks.
• Project team- The dedicated or part-time resources assigned to a project, which
include the project leader, functional team leaders, functional team members, technical
and consulting support. Ad hoc team members are brought in on a temporary basis to
solve specific issues.
• Quality- The characteristics of an item or process that indicate its conformance to
designated parameters, and its degree of perceived customer acceptance or satisfaction.
Quality characteristics often include reliability, consistency and the ability to continue
performance in stress or volume situations, but are critical only in relation to the value
placed on them by the user or customer.
• Risk management: Systematic application of policies, procedures, methods and
practices to the tasks of identifying, analyzing, evaluating, treating and monitoring risk.
Chapter-3

3.1 Company Profile:

3.1.1 Name: Eastern Housing Limited
3.1.2 Address:
ISLAM CHAMBER, 125/A Motijheel C/A,
Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.
Tel: 9566303-5, (APT) 9567208-9, (LAND) 9556200, 9566353, Fax: 880-2-9566311
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected];
www.easternhousing.com
3.1.3 Background:
Eastern Housing Limited (EHL) is a public limited company in Bangladesh working in real
estate development. The registered office of the company is situated in Bangladesh. Eastern
Housing Limited is one of the members of the REHAB Association, the central body for
private sector developers in Bangladesh. Eastern Housing Limited (EHL) was established
with the objectives of development of land for housing in the urban areas of Dhaka. It is
involved in construction, engineering, manufacturing and trading activities. It has been
responsible for redefining the environment in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, along with
other major developers.
Eastern Housing Limited (EHL) is a concern of Islam Group of Industries. It was formed in
late 1965 under the Chairmanship of Mr. Jahurul Islam to reduce the housing problems of
Dhaka city. It started its work by successfully implementing a project of building 700 houses
in Pallabi Thana, Dhaka, and acquiring 910 acres (3.7 km2) of land. It was one of the first to
provide low-cost housing to the residents of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). Within a short
span of time it turned out to be one of the most trusted companies in the housing sector.
While the company started operations by developing real estate mostly within Dhaka, the
capital of the country, it has started to build outside the city. It regularly takes part in REHAB
real estate fairs, both at home and abroad, and experiences sell-out
performances. The slogan of Eastern Housing Limited is Apan Thikana
Gore Dey, which translates to builds your own address.

3.2 Project Profile:

Name: EASTERN KARIM

Project Type : On Going

Numbers of Flats : 36

Work Start : 2009-03-01

Expected Delivery : 2012-09-01

Availability : In Limited Floors

City Area : 2/5, Shahjahan Road, Block-C, Mohammadpur, Dhaka

Car Parking Space : Yes

Car Parking cost : 4 Lac

Fittings :
N/A

Project Facilities :

Flat Price & Facilities

Building No: 1
Type : A
No. of Flats : 11
Floor Area : 1467 Sft
Flat price : 92.5 Lac
Facilities : 3 Bed, Living, Dining, 4 Toilet, 3 Verandah Lift,
Generator, Kitchen Cabinet, Cark Parking spaces &
 many more
Call for Price: +88-01713060920, +88-
Other Prices :
01711430152,+88-01711690094
Building No: 1
Type : B
No. of Flats : 12
Floor Area : 1585 Sft
Flat price : 95.5 Lac
3 Bed, Living, Dining, 4 Toilet, 2 Verandah Lift,
Facilities : Generator, Kitchen Cabinet, Cark Parking spaces &
many more
Call for Price: +88-01713060920, +88-
Other Prices :
01711430152,+88-01711690094
Building No: 1
Type : C
No. of Flats : 11
Floor Area : 1473 Sft
Flat price : 93 Lac
3 Bed, Living, Dining, 4 Toilet, 3 Verandah Lift,
Facilities : Generator, Kitchen Cabinet, Cark Parking spaces &
many more
Call for Price: +88-01713060920, +88-
Other Prices :
01711430152,+88-01711690094

Chapter-4

I asked a project manager and some of project teams members about

the management of a project where they are working. I got some
valuable information about project management. But I also found some
difference in management between their management system and the
management system we learn from
books. These findings are cited bellow:

4.1 Project life cycle:

Figure-4.1: Phases of the
project life-cycle.
Question : How many phases does
your project life-cycle have?
Answer : Our project life cycle has three
phases. They are,
i. Origin of the project,
ii. Design of the project and
iii. Deliver the project.

Question : Don’t you have any

process development phase
so that this project can
 develop and the future projects can free from same kind
of problems?
Answer : In general problems differ project to project. In case of same
kind of problem we use our previous experiences and make
immediate decision for solving problems according to their
nature. Normally we used to customize the main plan to avoid
the probable problems.
Findings : I found managers are not practicing process development
phase so same kinds of problems are coming again and again
because the project designers are not being informed about the
problems. Another issue is that site manager don’t get chance to
participate in project design stage, therefore they cannot even
share their ideas with project designers. As a result problems
remain in designing phase. Although experienced a manager can
customize and solve the problem appropriately but it is tough for
a new project manager. Here managers are getting more
important role rather than the system.
4.1 Project environment:
Question : How do you feel the project environment?
Answer : Real estate projects in Dhaka city normally don’t face much
competition because demands are huge. Customers even
become happy if they get a standard building with a relatively
low price.
Findings : As demand of residential buildings is huge in Dhaka city, the
terms and conditions are in favor, in many cases, of the
developers. Therefore companies face less complexity and
competitive environments.

Question : What factors or element do you have to more focus

for competitive environment?
Answer : For competitive advantage we have to focus on time, human
resource, better technology, change in management, service
sector and quality must.
Findings : They are focusing on some factors for competitive
advantage. Customer focused and openness may provide more
competitive advantages.

4.2 Priorities:
Question: What are given priorities in this project?
Answer : We are giving priorities in quality first, than cost but have to
deliver with in specific time limit.
Findings : They are giving priorities in quality management as well as cost
and time. Several groups of people are working together to meet
their targets.

4.3 Time Planning:

Question: Do you have any specific time plan? If yes, what kind of?
(AoA; AoN; Others)
Answer : Yes, the time plan for this project
is almost 3 years and 6 months.
We use time planning software to
plan our project. But it is
sometimes become difficult to
remain on the tract and difficult to
understand for lower level
workers.

Question : What do you do to

overcome from this problem?
Answer : We divided our activities in some
groups and set a few goals to
meet. Then, we prepare bar chart,
Gantt chart, for every single goal
for short term- in most of the
cases for one month. That is easily
understandable and achievable by
the workers.

Question : May I know the name of theFigure 4.2:that

software A sample
you useof
to prepare the time plan? Time plan
Answer : It is sensitive information. We have to maintain some privacy.
Findings : They customize their time plan and divide the total time plan in
many few plan, it is a good practice. It provides them a great
value. It is found that they use forwarding schedule. They did not
share the software name. However, the names of some project
time planning software are given bellow (Table-4.1):
Table-4.1: Name of software for project
planning
1. Frepple 0.3.0
2. Teamwork Planner 1.0.1
3. Project Planning 1.1.8
4. eTaskMaker Project Planning
Software 1.0
5. ConceptDraw Project 4.1
6. Employee Planner 1.0
7. RationalPlan Project Viewer
3.9.0
8. Venture Planning System Pro 1

Question : How do you estimate time for this project?

Answer : We estimate the required time for each activities based on our
previous experiences.
Findings : The managers are experienced in real estate sector, so
they can easily estimate the time required for each activities.
Question : What are the pitfalls? How much effect those have
and how do you overcome from those?
Answer : There are some pitfalls like lack of quality materials, skilled
workers, electricity supply and others. Those do not effect
remarkably in time plan, because during time planning we
consider those.
Different pitfalls need different solutions. Sometimes solution
comes from upper management and sometimes we decide the
immediate decision to solve the problem.
Findings : It is a good practice to consider the pitfalls during the
time planning. Another good practice is managers have a chance
to make decision to solve the pitfalls immediately if it is possible.
It helps to remain the project on the tract.

4.1 Cost planning:

Question : How do you estimate the project budget?
Answer : At first we list down all the elements and activities where we
will need money. Then estimate the cost of each activities and
elements separately. Finally we sum up all the elements and
activities costs to get the total budget. We use some software to
estimate the total cost. To estimate the each element of cost we
use our previous experience in same kind of project.
Findings : According to their words it is become clear that they use
bottom-up cost estimating approach and parametric
estimation technique. They use software program to estimate
the costs. So they got the advantage of appropriate cost
estimation.

Figure-4.3: Bottom-up approach of cost estimating.

Question : What is your budget for this project?

Answer : To share this kind of information is restricted by the upper
management.
Findings : The actual budget cannot be known of the project. I spoke
with some other project managers. They told it takes TK.500-
600/sq. feet for normal finishing.

4.2 Legal and Ethical Issues:

Question : What are the legal and ethical issues you should
consider?
Answer : We have to fulfill the term and conditions of Rajuk (Rajdhani
Unnaon Kortipoksho). We also have to follow a code named BNBC
(Bangladesh National Building Code). In additional we have to get
permission from several authorities.
Findings : Rajuk and BNBC set some requirements to ensure the
safety of the peoples. Project managers cannot ignore these
requirements. Ignorance of these requirements may cause of
sue. It is found that a developer has to apply to eight different
authorities including WASA, DESA, Titas, Fire Department, civil
aviation authority and Ward Commissioner for permission.

4.3 Risk management:

Question : What are the threats that may stop your project
completely? Do you have any preventives for those?
Answer : Earth quark and Govt. Policy. Earth quark is a natural disaster
we cannot control it but minimize the loss. And in case of Govt.
Policy we can take legal help for solutions.
Findings : Impacts of these risks are huge. So managers should
review the Govt. policies.
4.4 Structure and teams:
Question : What kind of organizational structure do you have?
Answer : We have pure project organizational structure. We carry on our
project activities in contract basis. We have only seven
employees working here from our company and others are the
contractual peoples. They are selected by the contactors. And in
case of our own employee our upper managements decide.
Findings : This provides an advantage of attract labors when
required, without providing a labor burden or overhead for the
rest of the time. But it also should consider the problems that
arise from temporary work force.

Question : How many teams working here?

Answer : For each activity we have at least one team. For administrative
activities we have three sub-teams. These are for:
1. The site management
2. Total quality management and
3. Financial and pay roll management.
Findings : It is a good practice. These sub-teams provide specific
responsibility and liability to the managers. Managers can
develop their skill in specific activities and can manage properly.
Question : Do you have any training and development
programs?
Answer : Yes, we have only for our own employees.
Findings : As most of the work done by contracts. Therefore, training
and development programs for temporary employees are
wastage of money. Better option is to contract with persons who
are already skilled. But for its own organizational employee it is
necessary.

Question : How do you motivate the workers?

Answer : Workers are normally belonging in fast level of need, so
incentives are the most appropriate tools to motivate them.
However, we also use personal relationship to motivate them.
Findings : It is found that some of the managers are not only a manager
but also a leader. To motivate workers they analyze the worker
need and take appropriate steps for those. Undoubtedly, it is a
good practice.

4.1 Monitoring and controlling:

Question : How do you monitor your
activities?
Answer : Each of the sub-management teams is
responsible to monitor their activities and
share the result with other teams. If there is
any problem and it is not possible to control
by specific sub-team, then the total project
management sit to solve the problem via
brainstorming.
Findings : Managers have some flexibility in
immediate problem solving decisions. Some variation of actual
plan is also allowed. But managers must have to remain in their
variance range. If it is not, then they are obligated to inform the
upper managers.

Question : How do you evaluate the project?

Answer : We quantify physical progresses and resources consumed to
evaluate the project. Our software provides tools to evaluate the
project.
Findings : They evaluate their project time to time by using their software
and report to related project managers. This helps them to
minimize the risk and cost and ensure quality.

Question : How do you ensure to the workers that project is in

tract?
Answer : We have a notice board where we post a bar chart (Gantt chart)
and other documents to inform the workers about their
achievements and failures. Our management software helps us
to evaluate and quantify those.
Findings : The posts on notice board may be over looked by the
workers. They may use visual control systems that can be shown
from a few far.

4.2 Other findings:

Question : What kind of capital
equipment do you use for
efficiency?
Answer : Most of our capital equipments are
traditional. We use those efficiently.
Findings : The capital equipments
those they are using, most of those
are traditional and old. But they
changed some of those to better
technology and willing to get the better technology gradually.

Question : Do you think your

project is going to be success?
Why?
Answer : Of course we are going to be
success. Because, we are getting
the budget as it planned and for
our caring management teams.
Findings : As, the supply of materials
is enough and their correlation of
activities is effectively managed, it
may say that are going to be success.

Question : Would you please give some words for successful

project management?
Answer : Proper planning, Budget flexibility, management team, quality
materials, skill employee, team motivation, risk management,
etc. can helps you for a successful project management. Plan-do-
check-action (PDCA) will accelerate you to success.
Findings : Proper planning itself is an important phase of project
management. But planning or decisions should be to ensure the
project remains within the constraints set.
By observing the findings of the project management system or techniques of
Eastern Housing Ltd. we can say that their project management system or
techniques differ in many ways from the theory we have studied. Such as, they
have three phases in their project life cycle process where we have studied
four. They have not project development phase that is very important to
project management.

Project managers have some flexibility to make decisions immediately, this is a

good practice. However, managers in design phase should take feedback from
project managers of deliver phase during the time of project design and
planning. On the other hand, project managers in delivery phase should report to
upper management about their problems so that the next projects designs
become free from design problem.

There monitoring and evaluating techniques is acceptable. It provides them

great benefits. But they do not take any feedback from clients or customers
after selling the project. They should collect such feedback from customers for
their future developments.

Last of all I give my cordial thanks to our course Instructor Mr. Asaduzzaman
Chowdhury, MBA, B.Sc. Engg.; part-time faculty, The University of Asia Pacific
(UAP); for providing such a practical report to gather our knowledge for our
future perspective.

Bibliography

• http://www.easternhousing.com
• Maylor, D.H.M; “Project Management”, 3rd Edition, India, Dorling Kindersley
(India) Pvt. Ltd., 2001, Introduction, Chapter-1, page # 1-19
• http://www.projectmanagementbooks.com/index.htm
• http://www.epmbook.com/index./projectmanagement.htm
 Further information
I. PMBOK® guide, 3rd Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc.; 2004
II. Lewis, J.P.L.; Fundamentals of Project Management; AMACOM Books; 1995