You have been appointed as a programme manager within the department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).

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Question:

You have been appointed as a programme manager within the department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). Your area of responsibility is solar energy and the programme for solar solutions is under your control. The efficient rollout of solar energy to the suburb of Sandton has been mandated to you as part of your programme. Sandton is the highest revenue generating economic hub in South Africa. The project involves the replacement of the main sub station of Sandton with a solar solution. There can be no interruption to the power supply to the suburb, requiring the programme manager to take full responsibility of the project with his project managers. Your department has been criticized for poor performance of late. This is an opportunity for you to restore the image of your department.

Question 1 (20 Marks) Programme and Project-Based Management generally stem from one or several key organisational drivers - elements of the "business" so fundamental that they often determine the level of success. In other words, these drivers determine whether a government department could successfully operationalise its constitutional and democratic mandates. Referring to your solar project as a key project in the public service, analyse the drivers in relation to the transformation of the South African public service.

Question 2 (20 Marks) Steering Committee members should understand the strategic implications and outcomes of initiatives being pursued through project outputs and appreciate the significance of the project for major stakeholders. As a programme manager, you are a member of the steering committee. Appraise the typical role of the steering committee in the execution of your programme and in particular your solar project.

Question 3 (20 Marks) In the implementation phase of the programme lifecycle Ryan (1996) identified broad categories of variables, which could affect the success of programme implementation. Further, Mazmanian and Sabatier (1989) synthesised these categories into six conditions for effective programme implementation. Evaluate these categories and the six conditions for effective programme implementation by referring to your solar project.

Question 4 (20 Marks) In a highly dynamic socio-economic and political environment with fluctuating priorities and limited resources, Programme Management is an organic process where change and uncertainty are prevalent. Even in cases with a specific service delivery objective, changes are common. Programme Risk Management offers a way to manage these dynamics. Gleaned on your theoretical understanding of managing risk, critically discuss how you, as a programme manager, will go about managing risk in your programme.

Question 5 (20 Marks) Poor stakeholder management can literally break a project. Appraise the four (4) processes devoted to stakeholder management in relation to your solar project. Clearly indicate which phase of the project life cycle each of the four processes fall into.