CRITICAL PATH METHOD (CPM) NETWORK AS A TOOL FOR EFFECTIVE PROJECT EXECUTION IN SOME SELECTED CONSTRUCTION FIRMS IN ENUGU STATE.

Abstract

This paper examined how the Critical path Method (CPM) Network can be used as a Tool for effective Project Execution in some selected construction Firms in Enugu State. This is against the background of some of the challenges facing project managers in the course of project execution. The specific objective of the study was to; (1) examine the nature of the relationship between the Critical path Method Network (CPM) and effective project control in some selected construction Firms in Enugu State. (2)  examine the effect of the Critical path Method Network (CPM) on Project crashing in some selected construction Firms in Enugu State. (3) determine the nature of the relationship between Critical path Method Network (CPM) and project scheduling in some selected construction Firms in Enugu State. The data for this study were collected from two major sources; primary and secondary sources. The major instruments for data collection were questionnaire, interviews, and observations. The population of the study was forty (40). Content validity was used for the study. The reliability of the instrument was established through test re test method with coefficient value of 0.87.  Data for the study was presented in a table tables and data analysis was done using simple percentages. Hypothesis one and three were tested using parson product moment correlation while hypothesis two was tested using regression analysis with the aid of SPSS version. It was found that; there is a positive relationship between critical path method (CPM) network and effective project planning and control in manufacturing organizations and that Critical path method (CPM) network has a positive effect on Project scheduling analysis in manufacturing organizations. The work therefore concludes that CPM as a network model helps project managers to plan all tasks that must be completed as part of a project. It acts as the basis both for preparation of a schedule and of resource planning. During management of a project, it allows the project manager to monitor achievement of project goals and helps to indicate where remedial action needs to be taken to get a project back on course. It was recommended among others that; Project managers in manufacturing organizations should use CPM in planning, scheduling and controlling of both complex and flexible projects. This is because CPM enables the managers to make a detailed analysis and structure of the various elements of the project in form of a network.