Synopsis: People can be productive! What most often holds them back is management's failure to take ownership of the concept of "efficiency"...
It is amazing how fast humans can respond to a situation when they need to! A recent story from Japan helps illustrate the point. When a 30M wide sinkhole destroyed a road in Fukuoka, Japan, the problem was resolved and the road fully repaired in just 7 days. As the video below illustrates this was no minor pothole. This was a 15M deep crater that cu...
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Why projects fail
International Donor Agencies – Africa
Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
International Donor Agencies – Africa
Project type : Boreholes and wells (developing community water sources)
Date : Jul 2016 Cost : $360M
Synopsis :
One of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) is to increase access to clean water and sanitation facilities for communities that currently lack such facilities. In many rural areas of sub Saharan Africa...
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Jacques Cartier Champlain Bridge Corporation
Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
Jacques Cartier Champlain Bridge Corporation – Canada
Project type : Highway overpass construction
Date : Oct 2016 Cost : $11M CAD
Synopsis :
Taxpayers often feel that their hard earned dollars aren't being respected by the government officials charged with spending those dollars. In a story that feeds into that narrative, the city of Montreal has recently co...
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Phoenix Failing
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Department of Public Works and Government Services - Canada
Project type : New payroll system
Project name : Phoenix
Date : Jul 2016
Cost : $2B +
Synopsis :
A Phoenix is supposed to rise from the flames. Instead of rising, Canada's new federal government payroll system (called Phoenix) seems to be stuck firmly in the flames. According to reports from the...
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St Helena Airport
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Organization: Department for International Development (DfID) - UK
Project type : New airport
Date : Jun 2016
Cost : £285 million
Synopsis :
Wind shear is one of the most deadly atmospheric conditions an aircraft can hit. A significant and rapid change in wind speed, or direction, over a very short distance, wind shear is especially dangerous when it happ...
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Flint Michigan – Water
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Organization: Flint Michigan Municipality
Project type : Municipal water supply
Date : Apr 2014 to May 2016 (ongoing at time of writing)
Cost : Unknown for now, but potentially in the billions.
Synopsis :
In the most powerful nation on earth you would assume that if you're in a major city, it would be safe to drink the tap water. If you're in Flint Michig...
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RIP Ideas
An organization’s future prosperity is of course directly correlated to its ability to remain relevant in the market place. As we all know, to remain competitive organizations need to both innovate and invest. They need to stay in tune with their customers, be aware of shifting trends or disruptions and maintain a level of situational awareness that supports effective decision-making. Most organizations are aware of those basics and CEO’s make efforts to stay on top of them. The “value” creati...
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Culture’s Cogs – Feedback
Synopsis: Feedback is the mechanism that keeps a culture alive...
This post is part 4 in the Cultures Cog’s series of posts. Click here for – Part 1
In the two prior parts of this blog series we looked at the role "imperatives" and "expectations" play in giving rise to a culture. In this final post we'll look at how feedback is the link that keeps a culture alive.
Feedback is the interaction between people that tells them whether or not expectations are being achieved. Feedback can eit...
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Tram trouble
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Organization: City of Edinburgh Council
Project type : Public transit - Tram Network
Date : September 2003 - May 2014
Cost : £1 Billion (including anticipated loan interest) versus an original estimate of £375M (based on a much larger scope than was actually built)
Synopsis :
What started out as a noble idea in 2003 was later described as the “hell on whe...
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What’s your employability score?
Featured Article - Synopsis
Link to article - What’s your “Employability Score”?
For many, job stability is becoming a thing of the past. Mergers, restructuring, out-sourcing, changing technologies, shifting markets or simply a new boss with a different vision, are all sources of churn affecting today's job market. Old roles are being swept aside and transformations in the economy usher in constant changes in the way work is done and who it is done by. For the individual worker the shiftin...
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