ABSTRACT
Due to the perception of the one-off unique quality of a project and the repetitive nature of operations, the traditional approach of project management has been consciously different from that of operations management. As supply chain management is inextricably linked with operations management, the mindset of project managers usually excludes the principle of supply chain management (Xue et al. 2007). The primary objectives of project management (viz. scope, time, cost and risk) are beginning to include quality as another parameter. Hence the objectives of project management (with the exception of scope and risk) are identical to those of supply chain management and operations management – that is, quality, cost and time. Typically, a major project involves several stakeholders working together with controlled resources to deliver a completed project. A major project has many suppliers, contractors and customers; it has procurement and supply, demand planning and scheduling; it often lasts over several years and enjoys longer lead times. Therefore it can be argued that the management of major projects will benefit from adopting some customised supply chain management principles, which will be discussed in this chapter.
