During my time as a trading company employee, I have worked as a project manager (hereinafter abbreviated as "PM") for a number of projects in Japan and overseas.
A project is born from a small idea.First, we conduct a preliminary survey by reading a lot of literature, materials, and papers, meet with many people involved to build relationships, and once we have the basic concept and rough design, we repeat detailed field surveys and brainstorming many times.After nearly two years of preparation, the business model was finally solidified.
Then, after reaching an internal consensus, scouting the necessary human resources from all over the world, collecting funds, negotiating with stakeholders (interested parties), and determining constraints such as goals, timeframes, and budgets, we finally get started. increase.
The project has five stages. 5. Initiating, 5. Planning, XNUMX. Executing, XNUMX. Monitoring and Controlling, XNUMX. Closing.
Now, which of these five stages do you think PMs consider the most important?
Unexpected things happen in a project in an unknown developing country.Of course, various risks are assumed at the research stage, but unpredictable and unexpected situations such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, heavy rains and floods, conflicts, terrorism, and infections often occur.One of the most memorable incidents is the incident in which an acquaintance from another trading company who was a rugby player was attacked by Islamic extremists in Iraq and lost his life.I couldn't sleep without drinking alcohol for a while from the shock.
PMs must anticipate that such unexpected events will occur.It is important to be mentally prepared, or prepared, to make calm and bold decisions when the unexpected happens.
Well, as for the answer to the above question, the answer is ⑤ Closing. When a project starts, PMs are always thinking about how to withdraw from the back of their heads.Of course, it is best to complete the project successfully, but since we do not know when and what kind of situation will arise, in order to minimize damage and prevent conflicts with stakeholders later, Thinking about how to complete the project.At least XNUMX or XNUMX times in a single project, I am forced to make a decision on whether to withdraw or not.
One of the things that I still remember from time to time is a case where a small trouble led to a crisis situation where a project was withdrawn. From 2014 to 2018, we started two projects in Myanmar.One of them was a project in the northern highlands from 2017.The project was to produce Japanese varieties of short grain rice and export them to the United States.
When it was finally time to start rice planting, the state-of-the-art rice planting machine imported from Japan broke down.The situation is that the rainy season will come if we don't finish planting rice in a vast area of paddy within three weeks.At that time, there was only one rice transplanter in Myanmar, and there were no repair shops or manufacturer representatives like in Japan who would come to repair the machines.Rice planting by hand is not enough.
When I checked the failure point, I found that four small springs of the air cooler had rusted and stopped working.This is because it was stored in a warehouse during the rainy season.This is not possible in Japan.
When I contacted the Japanese manufacturer, they said it would take a month to arrive.Moreover, you can't afford to spend a lot of shipping costs for a small spring.A multi-billion yen project ends because four springs with a length of about 4 cm cannot be obtained.I couldn't help but smile.Anyway, I turned my head around and thought of all kinds of ways, but two days passed without finding a solution.
On the morning of the third day, I visited Mr. Tazin, a blacksmith in the village who I had become good friends with, and showed him the rice transplanter.He can't speak English, so I explained his breakdown in Burmese, English and hand gestures.Then he entered the house, and after a while he handed me a small spring with a smile on his face.
It fits perfectly in the air cooler.I replaced the remaining three springs, repaired them, and when I started the engine, it started splendidly!I fixed it.
When I asked what kind of spring this spring was, he held out four ballpoint pens with a smile on his face.It turned out to be a spring inside a ballpoint pen made in Japan. “Japanese ballpoint pens are great,” he laughs.
The spring of a small ballpoint pen and the quick wits of a young man in the countryside of Myanmar saved the crisis of a huge project.I immediately sent an email to the head office in Japan. "The quick wits of Myanmar youth and Japanese ballpoint pens saved the Japan-Myanmar joint project."I got a reply right away. "!!??"and.
In the Department of Tourism, Project Management Exercise is a compulsory subject for second and third year students.By making full use of the knowledge and skills they have learned, they will solve the problems given to them by companies and communities. I think ifWhy don't you aim to become a PM who is active in the world?
In Myanmar, a military coup took place last month, the military government was reinstated, and the army is suppressing the people who are protesting.We are unable to contact the local staff of the project.I just pray for their safety.
(Makoto Yoshida, Department of Tourism, Faculty of International Communication)
